Alliance: AntiTrust
by Rogue-Demon
Summary: After the fall of the X-men, Logan and Rogue must create a new team to remember a forgotten dream and save humanity. But the new millenium teachers anti-trust; it's not easy to trust when running away's easier.FINISHED
1. Seven

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue. Unrecognizable characters-Angel, Russ, Corey, Kellie are mine; Julius is Xx-Disturbed-xX's; and Tara is Takamo's. I have permisison to borrow them but not to hurt them in any way. No animals nor characters are harmed in this presentation. This story contradicts my two previous humor stories-if you've read them, ignore them.  
  
November 7, 2004  
  
Angel Blade unlocked the front door then removed the gate, pushing it sideways into it's place. "Aunt Kris! Vel!"  
  
She waited for a response of some sort from her legal guardians. None comes. Thank God for small miracles, she thought, dumping the rest of her stuff onto the couch and going into the bathroom. She turned to face the mirror and grimaced.  
  
"Vel's gonna kill me." Most of the left side of her face was swollen and blood streamed from just below her right eye. Dirt and more blood stuck to the t-shirt she wore; several torn places could be seen. "Hello, Military School."  
  
Her uncle had promised to send her to military school if she got in anymore fights. Strike twelve had hit. Angel grabbed a towel and applied to to her face, trying to clean off most of the blood and get the swelling down.  
  
The phone rang. She ignored it and studied her reflection; there's no way she could hide the jagged line beneathe her eye or the swollen area surrounding it. The machine picked up the call after a moment.  
  
"Angel, where the hell are you?" Velicion's voice demanded to the room. His voice stratled her and she poured peroxide down the front of her shirt. "It's well past your normal time to be home. Remember our conversation a few weeks ago? I hope you haven't been fighting again. Angel!"  
  
Angel removed the soiled shirt and tossed it at the answering machine. She applied peroxide and a bandage to her eye throughout his threats before pulling on another t-shirt.   
  
"Aye, aye, captain,"she mumbled while signing onto the internet and her messenger,"Damn mutant restrictions."  
  
A message flashed onto the screen.  
  
MToynbee: another riot.  
  
TwistedSlinky: where and how many?  
  
MToynbee: Atlantic City. six mutant, three norms.  
  
TwistedSlinky: nice. i'm going to military school  
  
MToynbee: strike twelve?  
  
TwistedSlinky: strike twelve. what did emily say?  
  
MToynbee: lecture about the laws and my behavior..how bad?  
  
TwistedSlinky: no serious damage. vel's gonna kill me.  
  
MToynbee: sorry when do satan and vel get home?  
  
TwistedSlinky: now...bye. pray for me  
  
MToynbee: I ain't religious  
  
TwistedSlinky: so?  
  
-TwistedSlinky has signed off-  
  
Angel turned as the door opened; her aunt, Kris stared at her a moment holding Daniel.   
  
"Angel, don't say it."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"You're going to get sent to a camp if you don't stop. Take Daniel. Senator Tailsman is growing impatient with rebellious mutants.."  
  
Angel took the squirming three-year-old. "Maybe someone really should riot...a real mutant game."  
  
* * *  
  
"Damn...Damn...Damn." Russ Collins jumped over a gate and took off running toward the buildings in the distance. Behind him wolf-like howls echo along with a quiet beeping sound.   
  
"I have worked too hard for three years to fail,"he growls, pushing himself forward and scanning the barb wire for a place to cross. He slipped through, placing one hand against the wire. A black glow came from the wire before it split apart to allow his six foot two frame through. He cringed when a piece of wire tore into his leg then jerked it free as the howls grew louder. He felt blood stream down his leg, warm and sticky but ignores it, continuing to run with only a slight limp.  
  
Three years of fighting mutant restrictions for one restriction screw up. Russ cursed himself repeatedly for forgetting the time as he darted into an alley and up a hanging stairway. His feet mad loud clanging sounds as they slapped the metal rungs; his combat boots intensified the sound. He stopped outside a window and tapped.  
  
"Gage!...Gage...Gage!"  
  
His fist slammed into the window after a moment of no response. "Gage, open this window!"  
  
The glass slid sideways and a light shone from within. "Jesus, Sabbath, what are you doing out? Mutant curfew ended three hours ago,"a yawning voice mumbled as he stumbled into the room, shutting the window.  
  
"Bad timing. Gage, give it to me. I need to get home fast..."  
  
"It doesn't fuction right, Sabbath. Too risky."  
  
"Give me the damn teleporter, Gage. I have to get home in eleven mintues....give it." Russ held out one hand to the blonde man before him.  
  
'Gage' stared at it before a gold clawed hand covered in scales dropped something into his palm before retreating. Pale blue eyes glittered angrily at him.  
  
"Thanks." He slipped the gadget onto the hand seconds before he vanished in a flash of blue and gray smoke.  
  
Russ groaned when he appeared in his bedroom; everything his hands touched glowed black. The carpet, his shirt, the doorknob.   
  
"Gage, I swear I'll kill you for giving me that thing,"he growled, tossing the braclet to the other side of the room; it hovers in the air. "Damn."  
  
Russ pulled up his pants' leg and studied the bloody line traveling over his celf muscle. He grimaced in pain as he hurriedly applied peroxide and a bandage to the damage; footsteps echo downstairs along with voices.  
  
"Russ, get down here!"  
  
He toussled his hair and removed his shirt, tossing it to the floor along with his shoes before going down onto the more level part of their apartment. He stopped a few steps behind his father, peeting at the two senator officers.  
  
"Huh?" He made his voice sound tired and wary.  
  
"Do you know about the breakout at Icon?"one demanded, pushing past his father with a death glare.  
  
"Breakout? What Breakout?"  
  
"A mutant escaped."  
  
"Tragic...very tragic."  
  
* * *  
  
"...cough...cough..." Kellie Senthesis stumbled over a root and fell forward onto the ground. The grass turned to ashes beneath her hands and crumbled. "Not again,"she moaned in anguish, scrambling to her feet. Dirt and leaves clung to the parts of her body visible and the white lab coat wrapped tightly around her; blood dripped down her face and stomache.   
  
Derek. He'll help me....Derek, I need Derek. If I can make it to the house.  
  
Kellie broke into a run with slow strides because of the rocks and sticks tearing into her smooth light brown feet. Sweat gathered at the hairline of her hot pink hair; it laid limp against her skin.  
  
"Derek." She cried the single word through her tears even though her brother would never hear it. Blood fell into her eye as she ran to the light sillohouted doorway. The light vanished at her nearing. She leaned heavily upon the brick wall, breathing raggedly. The brick cut into Kellie's palms as she worked her way to the back and the servant's entrance. Servants hasn't entered the house in over twenty-years; Kellie slid down against the wall.  
  
"Why? I'm sorry, Mom...please." Her hand barely managed to open the door before she collapsed to the floor. She crawled in, collapsing onto the floor in one of the small servants' rooms. Darkness overtook her but she mumbled one word. "Icon."  
  
* * *  
  
"Mutants are nothing but God's punishment for others' sins,"an old black street preacher ranted, pointing and grabbing anyone close enough.  
  
Corey Desmonds watched with a mixed emotions. God's punishment for others' sins. A silent laugh passed through him as he remembered his mother's dying statement.  
  
"I think I hear God calling me, Corey." Seconds later she died on the cold street, alone, with his father and his life.   
  
Why now? I don't know a thing about surviving on my own, especially in a world where people hate and fear me.  
  
The old street preacher continued to rant on about mutants being punishments of God. Corey focused on several people's mind and repeatedly altered them to see the diffrent images he'd created of himself. It works as several diffrent people first avoid a drug dealer, a prostitute then stop to speak to a cop.   
  
Six stories up at an apartment window the outline of a crouched teenager can be seen. Tara Toynbee stared down at the scene with a mix of anger and worry; voices echo outside the small bedroom.  
  
Wonder what Vel and Kris said about Angel's fight? She can't get sent to Military School.  
  
She unlocked the window and leaned down, listening to the age old ranting below. The black preacher had been there every day for the last five months; his rants were growing tiring. The last of his words drifted to her ears.  
  
"--repent before the new race destroys the one that already exsists! Humanity is on a losing streak! The inferno is here! Save your souls!"  
  
In the next instant several shadows emerge from the alley way behind the man and darg him away. The sounds of metal against bone, groans, and curses along with more screaming rants puncuate the otherwise still night.  
  
Tara closed the window, flicking the lock into place; she hopped down then moved over to lay on her bed. Her foster parents' voices added a low buzz to the emptiness as she stared blankly up at the ceiling.  
  
"Humanity is on a losing streak...an uprising of mutants."   
  
* * *  
  
"Sons of a bitches,"Julius mumbles under his breathe while storming out of the double doors of his FORMER high school towards his dad's car. He'd just been expelled for fighting though it wasn't even his fault. Assholes. He thought to himself as he passed a street light; the pole instantly bent as if something hard rammed into it going 200 mph and came crashing down to the ground.   
  
He didn't look back but continued walking. He opened the passenger door and climbed in the back seat since his 14-year-old little sister occupied the front. Silence hung in the air as they made their way home.   
  
Finally his dad spoke... "You know I don't whether to beat the hell outta you or be afraid of you. Quite frankly I wanna do both,"he said driving through the snow. It was may and already snowing but what did they expect is was Canada after all.   
  
"Well, you could just leave me alone." Julius mumbled.   
  
"As soon as we get home I'm enrolling you in a boarding school down in the states. Maybe, just maybe that attitude problem of yours will get fixed and you'll learn some discipline."  
  
He was pissed and it amused Julius. He knew his father wouldn't dare do a thing like that; they pulled into the driveway and his dad turned the ignition off.   
  
"You honestly think I'm playing...well, julius you're in for a hard reality. Pack your things. You'll be leaving on the next flight to New York Friday...That I promise." And with that his dad went into the house and dialed the number on the letter he'd had for months.  
  
The smile that Julius had on his face earlier was gone.   
  
His sister turned around in the front seat and said quite smugly. "can I have your room when you leave?" Her smile returns as she gets out beginning to hum a French song to herself."  
  
Julius sat in the car a minute afterwards before going in....  
  
"Pack your things. You'll be leaving on Flight 320 Friday morning at 8."  
  
Julius just stared at his dad, dumbfounded that he'd actually gone through with it.   
  
"Aw fuck!"  
  
* * *  
  
"What have you got, darlin?"Logan asked, turning to face the woman who'd entered.   
  
Her dark brown hair fell loose with two white streaks framing either side of her pale face. Her body was covered by jeans, a tank top with fishnet sleeves, and wrist-length gloves with bare knuckles. Her image was perfect with that of the woman he'd fought beside over twenty-five years ago when the others died. Only the two of them remained; in all reality Rogue should be dead as well or aged.  
  
"I found a start, Wolvie. Here's six." Rogue placed the folder before him on the table before sinking into the chair beside him. "One: Russ Collins. Age: 19. Icon worker for three years. Can manipulate kinetic energy to control objects. Lives with father-Icon scientist. Two: Kellie Senthesis. Age: 19. In and out of institutions since thirteen. Turns living things to dust with a touch. Parents disowned her, one younger brother, Derek. Three: Corey Desmonds. Age: 17. Creates and makes illusions through manipulation of the mind. Parents died in mutant riot several weeks back. Fourth: Julius Kanteon. Age: 19. Cause mass destruction with a thought-no elaboration. Younger sister-lives with Father. Five: Angel Blade. Age: 17. Empathy and telekenesis("Sounds like Jean.") Lives with Aunt, Uncle, and three-year-old nephew. Probation pending. ("Forget the Jean comment.") Six: This is the strange one. Tara Toynbee. Age: 17. half-human/half-frog. Foster homes for years. Perfect image of Toad, huh, Wolvie?"  
  
Logan growled at the name for himself. "Where'd you find these?"he growled while looking over the six attached photos and several papers similar to a police report but not. "This is too organized.."  
  
"All mutants are forced to register when their powers manifest. Angel, Russ, and Kellie were on the desk...Tara, Julius, and Corey took some searching. Will they do?"  
  
He shrugged, reading one of the reports. "They'll have to; how do we find them?"   
  
Rogue was silent a moment.  
  
"Rogue?"  
  
"Russ and Kellie are here in New York. Angel and Tara in the south....Corey's unknown at the moment-possibly Nebraska. Julius is the tough one."  
  
"Where is he, Rogue?"  
  
"Montrel, Canada." 


	2. Packing Decisions

Tori: It doesn't matter at the moment about his full name. And if you don't like it BITE ME. I didn't pay attention in 8th grade because I liked to sleep...it doesn't matter but to make you happy here's a note.  
  
Note: Julius is or was in MONTREL, QUEBEC CANADA! Now leave me alone, Tori or I quit writing.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kellie moaned as she came to on one of the most uncomfortable beds she's ever slept on. Her head was pounding and a bandaged covered the torn wound on her bare left shoulder.  
  
"Don't move, Kel. The drugs haven't worn off yet...don't moan like that. Mom and Dad might hear you." Thy shy face of her sixteen-yearold brother, Derek, peered down at her in concern. His dark brown eyes were fixed on her face which was screwed up in a grimace of pain.  
  
"What day is it, Derek?"  
  
"November ninth." His gloved hands helped her into a sitting position on the small bed. "What happened? What's Icon?"  
  
Kellie froze at the word. Icon. Hell on earth for mutants.   
  
"It doesn't matter. Derek, I need you to get my stuff...at least some clothes and uh...my knife. I have to go before any of you get hurt."  
  
"Kellie....."  
  
"Don't argue. Go get the stuff....please."  
  
Derek's footsteps echoed out of the room and up the first set of stairs in the huge mansion. Kellie hesitated then climbed to her feet, swaying slightly, before catching her balance. The pounding ceased but she knew the dizziness was from blood loss; her vision blurred. She made it into the bathroom only to nearly faint at the sight of her reflection. The upper part of her forehead was swollen from injections, her eyes were blood shot without her contacts, and blood soaked the cloth bandage on her shoulder.  
  
"Dammnit,"Kellie muttered through changing the bandage.  
  
"I said don't move."  
  
"And? Give me my clothes."  
  
"Sit down, Kellie."  
  
"Clothes, Derek."  
  
"Sit."  
  
"Clothes."  
  
Derek handed her the clothes after setting down several duffle bags on the floor and a bowl of cereal on the table.   
  
"Hungry?"  
  
"Famished. Where's my gel?" She returned to the bathroom, pulling on a pair of black leather pants and a blue polo shirt from her job at Sonic a couple years back. She slid several spiked black braclets onto her wrists and one around her neck. Her hands shook as she washed her hair and worked it into taunt pink spikes.  
  
Derek didn't move. "Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm not telling you." Kellie sat down and tore into the food he'd brought; it tasted of rubber like most of their mother's food. To her it was heaven.  
  
"I'm your brother, Kellie. Where?"   
  
"Just know I'll be safe. Do you remember the story of the X-men?"  
  
"....Yeah. It's a myth."  
  
"No, it's not. I believe they exist, existed."  
  
"Kellie, this is stupid."  
  
Kellie picked up her bags, dumping the last of the cereal into her mouth before hugging him. "For once let me stupid alone. I love you, Derek."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Come on..show message,"Russ coaxed the computer while continuing to type passwords onto the screen. "Show message."  
  
A chatroom popped onto the screen- a private chatroom. Two names are in the "in chat" box- MToynbee and TwistedSlinky. The ones he wanted.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
MToynbee: some street precher.  
  
TwistedSlinky: dead, huh? some woman was here spekaking with Kris and Vel about military school....ain't that nice?  
  
MToynbee: fuck  
  
"Vel..why do I know that name?" Russ stopped reading to scan the registered mutant listings that he'd pulled up. The name pulled up nothing. He tried again. No success. "I'll have to check more later...Vel." He scribbled the name on a sheet of paper nearby.  
  
MToynbee: what?  
  
TwistedSlinky: Tomorrow. Vel made arrangements for an escort to this 'school'. everyone knows what that's code for  
  
MToybee: mutant security camp. What's Satan say?  
  
TwistedSlinky: they're not talking i need to get off bye  
  
-TwistedSlinky has left-  
  
MToynbee: Great job, twisted. get in enough to trouble to override your probation....maybe it's not one of the bad security camps. i'm ranting to an empty room  
  
XgovernOfficial: not empty. What about probation?  
  
Russ couldn't stop himself from asking the question but knew he was screwed after the next message.  
  
-MToynbee has left-  
  
"Damn...my stupid questions." Russ hit the desk with his fist, making several things rattle. A few moments of hacking on the name Toynbee reveal a blank profile except a deceased mutant- Mortimer Toynbee. "How can the dead communicate?"  
  
"Russ!"  
  
He sighed at the sound of his father's voice. "Yeah, Dad?"  
  
"Come down here. There's someone for you here..."  
  
"Great,"he muttered as he exited the government records, hacks, and mutant registration law sections off the screen.   
  
If it's another official asking about the break out I'm going to show them a real mutant's power...I don't know anything that they'll be learning. So what if someone helped a mutant escape? I commend them.  
  
"You wanted something?"Russ asked upon entering the room with his I'm-a-good-little-boy grin firmly in place.  
  
His father and the woman with him looks up. The woman's hair was the first thing he noticed; brown with two white streaks at the front, framing her pale face. Jean, an army green button down shirt, and sunglasses conver everything else about her.   
  
"Russ, this is Andrea LeBeau. Ms. LeBeau, this is my son, Russ."  
  
Andrea LeBeau stood and shook his hand. Her grip was firm for her size though she was apparantly trying to keep it gentle.  
  
"Hey...is there something you need, Dad?"  
  
"Andrea's here about another branch of Icon that they need people for. You were recommended."   
  
Russ cursed as the apple in his hand began to glow black. He placed it behind his back, hoping the LeBeau woman wouldn't see it. Icon was against mutants of all forms unless they were controlled by 'the chip'.  
  
Andrea studied him openly for a moment. "Your son's perfect for this branch. Have him ready tomorrow. Good day, Mr. Collins, Russ."  
  
Her footsteps faded out the door and vanished. He turned on his father instantly, fighting the urge to again charge the now normal apple. His fury was evident with the darkening of his eyes.  
  
"How dare you! I don't want another branch. I'm fine here."  
  
"It's done, Russ. Go upstairs and pack...now."  
  
"The hell I will!"  
  
"Fine. Back on our own time...I'm going to have a drink."  
  
"Dad..."  
  
Russ watched his father walk away from him with a mixture of hate and grief. In his nineteen years his father had never walked away from him.  
  
"Why now?"  
  
He knew what he would do. It might stop his campaign for mutant rights but he would do it. Andrea LeBeau had better prepare. Mutant or not mutant he was going to raise hell.  
  
"Time to play."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Tara, come in here!"  
  
Tara clicked the off button on her tv, shoving her papers and books into her binder. She walks out of her bedroom and into the living room. "Yes, Daniel, Allie?"  
  
"We wanted to talk about enrolling you in a new school,"Daniel said, motioning to one of the chairs beside him and across from her foster brother, Michael. "It's specifically for people like you."  
  
Tara stared at him. "What do you mean 'people like me'? Mutants?"  
  
"Yes...those. It's a school for mutants. Daniel will be taking you tonight. You'll get there sometime tomorrow. Right, dear?" Allie squeezed her husband's hand. Her gesture was affectionate, much more affectionate then she'd ever been toward Tara.  
  
Sending me away. They're sending me away. Why does that suprise me? She blinks to clear the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She continues to watch them, waiting.  
  
"How long will I stay there?"  
  
Michael looked up, briefly from the book he'd been reading. His smirk was one that said he was glad to see her go.  
  
I knew I shouldn't have lied to him so much....  
  
"Well, for the moment...we're looking at how it helps you. It may become permanent."  
  
Tara wasn't suprised at the words. It was the third time she's heard them. It may become permanent. Who wanted to raise a mutant that looked more like a frog then a human?  
  
"Fine...I'll go pack."   
  
"That would do well, Tara."  
  
She closed the bedroom door after entering and began throwing her stuff into a bag. It wasn't so bad at least she didn't have to put up with the constant taunts of 'mutie' 'freak' and others that could be created by her classmates.  
  
"Good riddance in my opinion....about time, too." 


	3. First Meetings Aren't Always Healthy

November 9, 2004  
  
Corey shoved the books from the shelf and began searching through the scattered mess, frenzily. "Come on...there has to be something that can help me....you wouldn't leave me with nothing, Mom,"he mumbles, shaking books and watching for anything to fall out. Several book pages drift to the floor but nothing of interest. He shoved several more rows of books from the bookcases in his father's study; nothing except an old slightly torn piece of white paper. The address written there was faded but he could make out New York and the word. Xavier.  
  
Maybe this it. New York...it'll be a long trip but maybe this is where I can get help. I don't know a thing about dealing with this mutation or whatever the heck it is that I can do...   
  
He slid out of the study and moved to his bedroom down the hall; one of seven. His hands carefully unlocked the door then relocked it once he'd removed his bag. Corey turned out lights as he went and pressed a few buttons to put the alarm back in activation mode; his entrance earlier had barely been avoided a public anouncement. He waited tweleve seconds to be sure no one was watching him before hurrying to the driveway and putting his stuff into the back of his car. It was a red sports car, a present from his parents on his last birthday.   
  
"New York...what other choice do I have?"Corey mumbled, climbing in, starting the engine, and backing out of the driveway and away from his life.  
  
A little less then an hour later he read a sign. Now Leaving Nebraska....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
November 10, 2004  
  
"It would be best if we left now, Mr. Collins."   
  
Russ glowered at his father throughout the time it took Andrea to load his things into the van. He didn't pack much, wouldn't need much. The plain black van was just that plain except for a mesh-like window at the very back and it's tinted windows.  
  
His father's hand rested on his shoulder. "It's easier this way, Russ. You can still keep in touch with me and I'm sure you'll be happier there,"he said as Russ glowered at the van.   
  
Russ shrugged his hand off. "Don't touch me. We should be going." His reply was cold as he climbed into the van, barely glancing at the other person in the van beside him. His concern at the moment was his father's abandonment of him.  
  
Why now? I haven't done anything, Father. Why are you abandoning me?   
  
He'd heard of parents abandoning their children when they learned they were mutants but his father didn't know his secret. The truth about his son being a 'filthy, dirty mutant' would probaly destroy him almost as much as his mother's disappearance when he was still young.  
  
"That should make the last of our stops.....time to go,"Andrea announced as she got in and started the van,"Are you both okay?"  
  
Russ turned away and pointedly stared out the window. He was angry. Angry at her for being so calm about this. Angry at the other girl for simply reading the book that lay open across her lap. Angry at himself for having to go through this. Hell, he was just angry to be angry.  
  
"It doesn't feel good to be betrayed does it?" The question startled him and he looked over at the girl beside him, knowing she'd asked the question. Her gaze hadn't moved from the book and she didn't appear to be speaking to Andrea as the latter was intent upon her driving.  
  
"How would you know what I feel?"  
  
"I just do...doesn't feel good, does it?"  
  
"What do you know?"he scowled, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.   
  
The girl worried him. He hadn't spoken to her but she knew he felt betrayed. She didn't look old enough to work at Icon, maybe high school age. The second thought hit him like a lead brick in his stomache.  
  
A mutant. She was a mutant that was going to be used for experimentation then killed like all the others. Something told him she was definetly a mutant, a type he'd never met before.  
  
Russ grimaced as his head hit the door, causing a painful headache. Andrea's driving skills were lacking.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Sorry..my driving's not that great. Haven't had much practice as of late. Are you both okay?"  
  
"Great."  
  
"Sure..." The girl's reply was slower and she seemed almost in pain when she spoke.   
  
Russ studied her out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and he could see her teeth buried in her lower lip; her hands clenched the book incredibly hard for someone as small sized as herself.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Fine...it'll pass."  
  
He caught Andrea's expression in the mirror. Worry marred it. A strange thing from an Icon worker, most would rather see a mutant suffer then waste the time to help them or even find out what was wrong. He watched and after a few moments the girl returned to her previous position; one arm resting against the window with her head against it, reading the book.  
  
This isn't part of Icon and it sure as hell isn't anything else I intend to be part of either, Russ thought as he stared ahead, waiting for his moment to leave.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Leave me the hell alone!" Julius lifted his bag from the airport baggage claim and stalked out of the unloading area, ignoring the pesky plant salesmen that had been bothering since shortly after he got off his plane to the states.   
  
His attitude hadn't improved on the long flight and he'd caused more then one problem for the staff that most of them were on the verge of a breakdown. He could care less.  
  
Several chairs in the terminal came unbolted from the floor and flew across the airport, slamming into walls and startling screams from the waiting passengers. A trolley cart of luggage fell on it's side, knocking an older man over.  
  
Julius smirked.  
  
"That would be enough, Julius.." He turned at the voice. The man he met was nothing short of amusing. He was short, hairy, and had a nasty disposition from what Juilius could see. No doubt this was the man sent from his father's boarding school.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know what kind of fits you're used to throwing but here you have to act like something other than a damn six-year-old."  
  
"I'm 19."  
  
The man laughed, harshly. "Start acting it. Where's your stuff? I ain't got eternity to waste with you."  
  
Julius sneered,"Looks like you already lived through eternity."  
  
In the next instant he was pinned against a wall with a set of 'metal' claws pressed almost against his throat. The man growled. "Don't. Either you come easy or I can take you back in pieces...pick one."  
  
"If I chose pieces?"  
  
The blades pressed closer at the same instant as several more chairs unbolted and flew across the airport.  
  
Julius took a breath, bringing the blades directly against his throat. "Let go...I don't have much of a choice either."   
  
The man released him and walked away without a word.  
  
What a guy, Julius thought, following him out, if everyone at this boarding school acts like him I'll be in a self-created hell. Thanks, Dad, thanks alot.  
  
He still hadn't gotten over his father actually making the call and enrolling him in boarding school. It had seemed a joke until the moment when he'd made the call then a joke again until they went to the airport. All thoughts of it being a joke were gone.   
  
"Would you stop gawking at the sights? We ain't got time for this, kid."  
  
"Who would you be? The God of Time?" Julius followed him to the car and stared at it. "No way in hell."  
  
"Get in the damn car, Julius."  
  
"Ah, hell fucking no."  
  
The blades came out again and he got in, throwing his stuff into the back. The man got in and started the engine, looking even less happy then him. "Buckle up."  
  
"Who the hell are you?"  
  
"Wolverine. You don't need to know anything else..."  
  
Julius sighed. "Wolverine? Is that a joke?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"The silent treatement. How lucky for me."  
  
SEVERAL HOURS LATER AT THE RESTORED XAVIER'S INSTITUTE  
  
Logan sniffed the air after getting out of the car with Julius. Something wasn't right. A scent he didn't recognize came to him. He stopped and sniffed at the air.  
  
"Is there a problem, Sparky?"Julius questioned, looking up at the institute with a renewed look of boredem,"Do you smell a bottle of flea powder?"  
  
"Shut up....someone's here."  
  
"There's me and you, 'Wolverine'."  
  
"Another...it's not Rogue either."   
  
"Rogue? Now I'm definetly going to wonder what you people do...could I get some?"  
  
Logan growled, wanting nothing more then to kill the kid but he had bigger matters. He walked up to the front door and inside, sniffing at the air. The scent was fresh. Whoever was within the institute either hadn't left long ago or was still within it's walls.   
  
Whoever it is will be damn sorry they even found the place. I'll make sure of that. This place took years to repair it ain't all going to hell now. Rogue'll understand.  
  
He moved further within the walls and found his way into the back living area. His eyes scanned the area as he smelt the scent the strongest. His blades extracted themselves from his knuckles and poised, ready to attack.   
  
Something moved in the shadows and just as fast Logan attacked, pinning it against the wall and pressing his blades almost into the thing's throat. The person groaned.  
  
"Who the hell are you?"  
  
A whimper later a voice whisphered something incoherent.   
  
Something cold and dark-colored touched his cheek; the effects were instant as the place where the hand rested began to turn to dust and flake.....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Cliffhanger much? I think it counts as one....like the cast? hate 'em? Confused much? All this comes to light the next chapter....getting to know each other games aren't good. Bodily harm up next! Until you see another date it is still November 10, 2004....the days will speed up soon..I promise. Note: anyone who begisn to wonder about Angel's personality must remember she's BORDERLINE ADD(attention deficit disorder) 


	4. Getting to know you, getting to know all...

"It's too frickin' big." Tara gaped up at the mansion in front of her. There was no other way to describe the place except a mansion. Everything about it was huge except for the black van parked out front along with a not so big blue car, an ugly car.  
  
Daniel nodded. "It's an institute designed for housing millions of......m--people like you,"he finished as he got out, beginning to remove her bags. She didn't move from the car. Her eyes remained focused on the building. It was alot bigger then anything she'd ever been in since the circus. She shuddered at the memory.  
  
"Tara, get out of the car."   
  
Tara roboticly climbed from the car at the same instant as a woman approached from the mansion. Her expression was darkened with worry as she walked to them. Daniel sat her bags down at her side; she looked down at them then returned to watching the woman.  
  
She'd figured Daniel would change his mind half-way through the driveway or even after they got there. Shock of her life: he hadn't.   
  
"Tara Toynbee?" The woman stopped in front of her, shielding her eyes with one hand even though it wasn't bright outside. It was cloudy as if it might rain at anytime.  
  
Oddly fitting for that moment. Her best friend was at military school and she was stuck at a school full of mutant freaks like herself. Mutant freaks? She'd become just like the people at the circus and taken on their view of mutants.  
  
"Yes, this is Tara....will you be one of her instructors?"  
  
The woman nodded. "Yes, I'm....Andrea Lebeau. My um....other staff is preoccupied at the moment. We're glad that the last of our new rec--students are here. I'll escort you inside, Tara."  
  
"Great..."Tara mumbled, picking up her bag and moving away from her foster father. She waited throughout Andrea and Daniel's conversation, staring blankly down at the red trainers on her feet. Andrea's hand touched her shoulder.  
  
"Come on, Tara. The others are already inside...they can't wait to meet you."  
  
Tara nodded again and followed her up the walk, turning back once to watch Daniel pull away and leave her behind. She must have hesitated because she found herself gently pushed toward the door and inside; it shut with a very final sounding THUD.  
  
"What the hell was that shit you pulled with touching me?"an angry voice roared from the closed door of a room in front of them,"My damn face started turning to dust."  
  
"Sorry....it's my mutation. What was your deal with slamming people against the wall and trying to gut them like a fish?"a second, female, voice replied through the same one as Andrea opened the door and stood back.  
  
"Go in, Tara...Logan, stop hollering, Kellie's already explained that..."  
  
Tara walked into the room and only then realized her stuff was no longer in her hands. "Huh?"  
  
"I'll take it upstairs in a moment...Logan, down, boy."  
  
'Logan' growled at her in response. The five kids in the room all looked up at her entrance. Tara's jaw dropped when she spotted one of the people curled on in a chair, staring blankly at a book in an attempt to cover the fact that she was laughing.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
Angel looked and grinned, closing the book around one finger. "What the hell are you doin' here?"  
  
Andrea raised an eyebrow at this. "You two know each other?"  
  
"Hell yeah! She WAS my best friend...I thought this was military school?"  
  
One of the guys sititng at a table looked up. "Military school? I got sent to military school? Son of a bitch, he said it was a boarding school."  
  
"Military school? Boarding school? Who lied to you?"a second one asked, giving up on whatever he'd been searching for throughout the room.  
  
Logan shrugged. "Sit. Rogue and I have some explaining to do..."  
  
Tara stared at her. "Rogue? What happened to Andrea Lebeau?"  
  
"She's not a real person,"Rogue explained, settling into a vacant chair,"I made her up to talk to each of your parents that I needed to. It's time I explained what this is...it's not military school nor Icon, Russ. It is a form of boarding school, Julius, Tara....this is the Xavier's Insitute for Gifted Youngesters or what's left of it and the X-men....."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We'll be back in exactly two hours. In that time get to know each other....I expect you to know every single detail of each others name, age, and powers-in a heartbeat. You'll need it." Logan walked out of the room and was followed shortly by Rogue. The door lock clicked into place after a few moments.  
  
Russ waited, then waited some more when no one said anything.   
  
Kellie broke it in an awed whispher,"I knew it. I knew they weren't dead."  
  
He looked at her. "Who weren't dead?"  
  
"The X-Men. They weren't a myth. They're real.."  
  
Julius broke in. "Wrong, girly. 'Rogue' and 'Wolverine' are two old timers obsessed with something that was long before their time...neither of them look old enough to be the age the X-Men would be at this time if they existed...which they don't."  
  
"They're not lying. I can tell....it's the truth and I could feel the pain from Rogue when she spoke of the Fall of the X-men. She's sincere." Angel lifted her gaze from the book.  
  
Russ decided not to comment on how she knew or could feel the pain. "Would anyone else like to comment further about those two?"  
  
The guy standing in the corner said nothing. Neither did Tara.  
  
"Fine. Since we have nothing better to do let's do what they want for the moment. Everyone just say your name, age, and power,"Kellie announced, leaning back in her chair,"It'll give us something to do. Angel, start."  
  
Angel rolled her eyes. "Yessir, master, I'll tell you what you want.. Angel Blade, 17, telekenetic and empath...will that do, master?"  
  
"Fine. Counter clockwise."  
  
"Russ Collins, 19, I can manipulate kinetic energy to control objects and make them do what I want."  
  
"Corey Desmonds, 17, I can create illusions in peoples' minds to see anything I want them to...sometimes I can even alter others appearances."  
  
"Intriguing...Tara Toynbee, 17, my looks pretty much say it all....I can do most things a frog could and spit green goo."  
  
"Kellie Senthesis, 19, when I touch something living I slow the molecules down and it turns to dust..."  
  
"Anything living?"Corey questioned, looking up.  
  
"Plants, grass, people, skin, animals, anything."  
  
Silence for a moment before Julius speaks. "Julius Augustus Kanteon, 19, mass destruction."  
  
Angel coughs. "Medievil much?"   
  
"If you want to live to become an adult you will leave me alone,"he answered before returning to staring out the window he's been staring at.  
  
"Or what? You'll cause....mass destruction?" She put her arms up as if in surrender but smirking. Her expression plainly said she didn't belive he'd do anything to her.   
  
Russ waited, wondering if Julius would do anything to her. If anything serious happened he planned to step in but for the moment he'd let it be. Angel did seem able to take care of herself and her attitude made her an easy target for violence.   
  
He analyzed the others quickly. Corey was a rich little boy on vacation. Kellie was incredibly odd. Tara was willing to do anything anyone said to avoid conflict or being hurt. Angel was about as far from an angel as he'd ever seen anyone. Julius was an asshole, plain and simple. He wasn't about to analyze himself, knowing the verdict wouldn't be much better.  
  
Juilus glared at Angel through the window, reflecting it back at her.  
  
"This isn't the time to start that, Angel,"Tara said from her seat on the couch.   
  
"What's he going to do? I want to see....the others aren't that vague. Kanteon acts like his power's all that and we should bow down and worship. Show us, Kanteon."  
  
The crystal chandelier above her head shook, threateningly. She didn't move, neither did the others. They were all waiting.   
  
"Drop it, Angel." The name sounded like a threat.  
  
"Or what? I won't live to be an adult?"  
  
The chanderlier dropped; seconds before it would fall it froze in midair, inches from hitting her. Tara let out the breathe that she'd been holding, Corey and Kellie stared wide-eyed at the movement, Russ waited, Julius smiled, and Angel brought her hand down, stepping to the side. It shattered as it hit the ground, sending splinters and slivers of glass everywhere.  
  
Angel's expression shifted a little. "Nice job, Kanteon...let's see what the rest of you can do... Kellie?"  
  
"I don't have anything to test it on."  
  
Tara pointed. "There's a plant over there."  
  
"Uh...they might like it."  
  
Julius sneered. "Scared?"  
  
Kellie walked over, tossing the gloves that showed only her knuckles onto a nearby table. She picked off a leaf and held it up so they could see it. The green faded into gray then crumpled into dust; she repeated the gesture several times.   
  
"Satisfied?"  
  
Corey spoke up for the first time since introducing himself. "Can't you all act like something other then children? It's not like our powers matter at all here..."  
  
"Sorry, Richie Rich but nobody pushed your button,"Julius said as he turned away from the window,"What is this to you? Vacation time from the family? A little down time from Mom and Dad's money?"   
  
"You don't know a thing about my parents so don't pretend you know me..."  
  
"You're not difficult to know...the world's full of people like you. Everything you want then your world's screwed by a mutation....heard the sob story..."  
  
"Well what's your sob story, Julius? You act like you're a god...what's your story?"  
  
He turned to face Tara. "I don't believe I asked you, Tara. You'd do well to stay out of conversations above your level."   
  
"Don't threaten Tara...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rogue headed for the door but stopped as a row of metal bars came down, blocking her exit from the room. "Open the door, Logan."  
  
"Leave them alone, Rogue. I don't think any of them'll hurt each other..too badly."   
  
"Logan! Did you forget about the chandelier incident only a few moments earlier over a stupid comment about Juilus' name? This has gone too far, Logan...open the damn door." She glowered at him and removed one hand, holding it palm up toward him.   
  
Logan watched, unamused. "Or what, Rogue?"   
  
"Or....damn you! What are the odds that they all live?"she questioned as she returned to her chair and watched the screen. Angel and Julius were again glaring at each other from across the room. Russ stood, trying to seperate them and the others watched with interest except Tara who just looked worried.  
  
He was silent then spoke. "85/15?"  
  
"That helped."  
  
"I know it did. They'll live, Rogue....I don't think any of them would kill a stranger. Now once they get to know one another---"  
  
"Shut up, Logan."  
  
Rogue and Logan both shot up as something crashed in the room below and several pieces of furniture hit the floor along with the soon-to-be members of the alliance. Julius didn't move but none of the others moved from their places on the floor either.  
  
"This is what it takes, Logan....unlock the door."  
  
"Way ahead of you, kid, way ahead of you......" 


	5. Five O'Clock Training Sessions don't hel...

Anything but Ordinary3: As for all the others dead-they are believed dead as are all the X-Men or simply a myth. I plan to bring back several more including Beast and possbily Remy. Angel and Rogue aren't as fun without him around but there's plenty more of raised by the X-Men and the unreal world.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Angel's a plague. I think she's sent straight from hell to plague me for the torture I gave my father." Julius' voice echoed within the large room.  
  
Logan's replied. "Didn't mean you two had to play I-Can-Kick-Your-Ass in the mansion, did it?"  
  
"Well...."  
  
Kellie chose that moment to walk away from the outside of the "Danger Room" door. Their voices had been echoing for over an hour since Julius and Angel's fight during the time locked in a room together. Logan hadn't held up his promise about needing to know the others information yet but she had a gut feeling he would eventually.   
  
She replayed the exact moment when all hell broke lose in one room. Julius threw the furniture. Angel threw it to the floor. Tara ducked and Corey hid while Russ simply watched. Logan and Rogue had entered in barely a minute to make sure everything was okay.   
  
The injuries weren't that bad. Angel had a mental strain. Julius was unharmed, unfair as it was. Tara, Corey, and herself all had glass fragments, from the early chandelier mess and throwing themselves to the ground, embedded in their skin; Corey had some in his right eye. Russ hadn't really been affected except for the marks where his "helping" hadn't helped much.  
  
"Amazing...One day and already we're trying to kill one another,"she mumbles, making her way into a room she remembered as a kitchen from her previous search before she ran into and almost 'dusted' Logan,"Maybe this place has some food."  
  
Kellie searched the cupboards and brought up a jar of peanut butter and bread; everything else required cooking and she just didn't feel like it right now. She pawed through a few more drawers until she removed a spoon and settled onto the edge of the counter, removing one glove to hold the spoon easier.  
  
She'd never had much talent with making decent sandwiches so she settled for eating plain peanut butter out of the jar. It tasted almost as good as the real deal except for the more peanutty taste; she stared at the spoon, thinking.  
  
"That can't be the healthiest thing in the world to eat."   
  
"What if it isn't? I have zero talent in cooking. My mother or the cook made everything I ate growing up until I started going to...uh, other places,"she replied without bothering to look up from the jar of peanut butter and her spoon.   
  
Tara shrugged and sat down at the table, fiddling with the napkin holder resting on the table. Her fingers plucked at the ribbon holding it together; it came loose after a moment.   
  
"Cook? Damn....must be nice,"she replied, tossing the holder up and catching it with her tongue to bring it back down to the table,"Better then having to live on your own cooking."  
  
Kellie nodded. "That would probaly kill anyone that ate it. It's not as great as you'd think, Tara...that is your name, right?"  
  
"Yeah, Kellie. I'm Tara. The amazing Tadpole."  
  
"Tadpole?"  
  
She shook her head. "Long story."  
  
"I have time."  
  
"Nope. The others okay?"  
  
"Define okay. Julius has decided Angel's a plague for his ill treatment of his father. Angel's resting since Rogue said the fight strained her mind. Corey and Russ have decided to play a game of something and neither one seems ready to give up, yet....."  
  
Tara cringed. "Never a dull moment with Angel's temper,"she said, dryly, clicking her tongue against her teeth to make a strange clicking noise,"You can turn living things to dust can't you, Kellie?"  
  
Kellie hesitated before nodding.  
  
"Yeah. It has to do with the molecules in it....it's like I slow them down and they turn into dust. It's the equivelant of the staking of a vampire of that creepy show-Slutty the Vampire Slayer,"she replied as she replaced the lid and jar in their places then 'cleans' the spoon before returning it to it's place in a drawer.  
  
"I hate that show. Do you think this place has a tv?"Tara questioned, standing from the table and heading into the next room. Kellie followed after a moment.  
  
"There is one...I saw it early while..exploring."  
  
"Care to show?"  
  
NOVEMBER 11, 2004 (5:25 A.M.)  
  
"It's a brand new morning and we're going to start it with a nice long training session."  
  
Russ stared blankly at the man pacing before them. Logan was dressed in what could almost count for battle attire as he paced in front of the six gathered recruits. No one moved or seemed to take him seriously.  
  
Angel stared blankly at a soggy bowl of half-eaten ceral, Tara and Corey continued eating their cereal, Kellie ate another spoonful of peanut butter(what was her deal with peanut butter?), and Julius sulked at the counter, glaring at them all. Logan's death glare and words didn't seem to affect them.   
  
"Nice long training session?"Corey questioned, putting down his spoon and looking up at him.  
  
Logan nodded. "That's right. Finish eating and go change into something work-able. You have eleven minutes....starting now."  
  
"What!?"   
  
"Ten minutes, thirty-nine seconds."  
  
There's a flurry of motion as all but Julius and Russ dump their dishes or abandon their half eaten then exit the kitchen. Julius spared them a glance before taking another drink of coffee and turning a page in some newspaper.  
  
Commercial Appeal, Russ thought as he finished eating and stood.   
  
"Where do we train, Logan?"  
  
His smile turned more animalistic. "That's the fun part, Sabbath. Find it. I'll be waiting and don't bother to follow."   
  
Logan left.  
  
"Shouldn't be too difficult. The bastard's not that hard to figure out,"Julius mumbled, taking a few more drinks before abandoning both the empty coffee mug and newspaper,"Maybe one of the others needs your assistance."  
  
Russ glowered at him then charged a nearby apple. It flew across the room and slammed right into the other boy's chest. He shoved his chair back and left the kitchen, listening to Julius' stream of curses-a mixture of several diffrent languages.  
  
"Works every time."  
  
ELEVEN MINUTES LATER  
  
As Rogue entered the training room Tara straightened from tying one of her shoes. She watched the other woman's approach, taking in the relaxed positions of the other "recruits" that would be participating in the session.  
  
"The session today is a simple one. The rules are simple. 1)Live through it. 2)Work together. 3)This whole thing is about trust. Positions. That means you, Julius." She turned, abruptly, walking out of the room as fast as she'd arrived. The electronic door slid into place behind her retreating form.  
  
Tara couldn't help a smile. "Yes, ma'am. Live, work, trust. How hard could it be?"  
  
It turned out to be harder then they thought. The simulation was advanced, very advanced and without any of them knowing the robots were set to stop just short of killing. It took only forty-five minutes for them all to end up winded and heavily bruised or cup; the simulation shut down and the robots stopped their fighting.  
  
"God, if I'd known I was signing up for this I would have gone to military school,"Angel said, sliding down to sit against the wall beside Russ' almost prone form,"This is hell."  
  
Julius looked over at her. "I figured you'd be good at this kind of thing, being a juvenile deliquent and all."  
  
"Who are you calling a juvenile deliquent? Anyone here's a deliquent, it's you, Kanteon."  
  
"That would be enough, children. Can't you stay civil for a few moments?"  
  
Corey wiped the blood trailing from the corner of his mouth away, wiping it onto his shirt. One of his eyes was sporting a nasty bruise at the corner; one of his arms was almost completely bruised bluish-purple.  
  
Kellie didn't move from where she laid on the floor, eyes closed tightly, one hand covering her eyes as if to block them from the bright lights. One of her legs was drawn up at the knee while the other laid limp.  
  
While they'd been busy bickering two others had entered the room. One clapped his hands and spoke,"Congradulations, kids. You flunked....miserably. We're going to play a game now, a very nice game."   
  
Oh, joy. Oh, rapture.   
  
Tara slid down against the wall beside her friend, leaning her head against the wall. She massaged her temples and listened to Logan.  
  
"Kellie, what's Corey's power?"   
  
"Corey can make people see whatever he wants through uh images. Sometimes he can alter their appearances too..."  
  
"Not bad. Julius, what's Tara's mutation?"  
  
"Look at her and you already know. Frog-stuff, 'Wolverine'. How could you not know?"  
  
Logan's blades almost exited but entered almost instantly. He glowered at them all.  
  
"So you actually learned something. Fine, next you guys will spend time talking to each other..three here, three there."  
  
Rogue clears her throat, cutting him off. "Julius, Tara, Corey, go with Logan. Angel, Russ, Kellie, come with me. Last one. Angel, what can Julius do?"  
  
Angel smirked, standing and wiping her hands on her legs; a light smear of blood comes from her cut and bleeding freely hand. "Julius has the power to be an asshole, Rogue. There's nothing else important about him or his power. Am I right?"  
  
Julius scowled. "Bitch."  
  
"Bastard."  
  
"Whore."  
  
"Jackass."  
  
"THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH! Since you two have so many problems I think you should meet me at the medlab after the therapy sesisions. I have a present for you. Now, march." Logan turned and walked out without bothering to wait for the ones he was suppoused to be helping. He had other things on his mind and he already knew how he would take care of Angel and Julius' problem. Oh, yes, he knew what he would do.... 


	6. X Shaped Handcuffs and Reunions

Julius walked into the medlab, or what remained of it, two hours after the therapy sessions ended.  
  
Logan had mumbled through the session off a sheet before losing patience and shredding it. 'Richie Rich' or Corey stared out a window, commenting only when he felt they needed his input: not often. He wasn't sure about Tara since had somewhat avoided him since the day before and his fight with everyone; she had sense, unlike the others.  
  
"Now that Julius has taken his sweet time to get here, we can start. Sit, Julius."  
  
Logan pointed to a counter where Angel sat coloring on one of those 'child entertainment' place mats. Julius remembered his sister coloring them from time to time at various resteraunts. He complied with the man for once, wanting to get away and find some food rather then sit here and get a lecture.  
  
"Well if it isn't the resident Angel,"he remarked before returning his attention to the item in Logan's hands.   
  
There was nothing really unique about it except that it was handcuffs in an X-shape rather then a line. Four individual cuffs hung from each side but there was no lock as on most handcuffs. Where a lock would have been was just cool metal.  
  
"You brought us here to see a new form of handcuffs, Logan?" Angel's voice showed she found it quite amusing. The now solid blue and purple picture laid beside her, discarded along with the crayons she'd been using. "That can make some disturbing thoughts."   
  
Logan smiled, animalistically.   
  
"Care to guess the point of them, Angel?"  
  
"Uh...I'm gonna say no."   
  
He laid them down on the counter between them. Both moved slightly away, studying the handcuffs. His smile darkened then he moved before either of them could object. In the next instant Angel's left and Julius' right hand were cuffed together, leaving two cuffs empty and one hand free, each.   
  
"What the hell is this?" Julius pulled on his hand.  
  
Angel stared at her hand a moment then blinked. "There's a handcuff on my wrist..."  
  
"Since you two are so sweet on each other Rogue and I decided you get to spend the next 30 hours handcuffed to one another until we figure out where the key is. Don't bother trying to break the cuffs, either, kiddies. Neither of you have powers at the moment,"he remarked, holding up the other two cuffs. "In you go."  
  
"Not a chance in hell, Wolvie." He concentrated but nothing happens. No mass destruction. No shaking walls or lights. Nothing except Logan's laugh.  
  
"Through?"  
  
"Logan, how do we not have powers?"Angel asked, tugging lightly on the handcuff around her wrist. "I thought it wasn't possible to lose a mutation."  
  
"It's not, darlin'. The material of the handcuffs negatates all mutant powers while inside of it....the second the cuff is off your powers return."  
  
She shook her head and scratched her nails against the metal. She worked at the handcuffs a moment then removed a pin from one pocket, continuing.  
  
Julius tried again to use his powers without any affect. He tried to break the lock. Nothing.   
  
I swear I'll kill my father for this. Sending me to a damn boarding school is one thing but I'm going to tell him about the hell they're putting me through with their cruel torture; he'll have to come get me.  
  
Logan's grip on his wrist brought him out of the reviere and only then did he realize that at some point his other hand along with Angel's had been cuffed together. The animalistic smile returned.  
  
"Enjoy, kiddies. First twelve hours are about to begin...."  
  
Julius listened to his footsteps fade then felt a tug on his hand. He turned back; Angel had stood and was yanking on her hand. The move proved useless as the only result was to tighten the cuff around her wrist. He watched it tighten, very little but tighten none the less.  
  
"Would you knock that off. That makes handcuffs tighten if you didn't know......first time in handcuffs?"  
  
"Number one-I already knew that. Number two-no, I've been in handcuffs twice. Number three-how the hell do we get out of this?"  
  
"Try your powers."  
  
Angel sighed. "Yours didn't work. Why would mine?"  
  
"Just try, them."  
  
She concentrated but shook her head after a moment. "I can't even feel anything Julius except what I feel. I'd know your emotions if I felt them........why could you just stop picking fights? If you had we wouldn't be in this mess."  
  
"Sorry, Demon, but last time I looked you're the one talking about having the power to be an asshole."  
  
"I was raised not to lie, Kanteon,"she replied, moving to walk away but can't go very far since he hadn't moved. She stopped and glowered at him. "Can we go somewhere else?"  
  
"Where?"  
  
"The kitchen. I"m hungry, okay?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Explain again how you two got handcuffed together."   
  
Corey regarded the two sulking new arrivals with a mix of intrest and distaste. Since their arrival in the kitchen the others were all concerned with the handcuffs encircling their wrists. He personally thought it would do those two good.  
  
In his seventeen years he'd never seen anyone fight so severally or get angry over the dumbest things.   
  
Julius' "rich boy" comments stung; more then they would if his parents were alive. The cracks about time away from him family hurt but he'd rather not think about them. Angel hadn't really given him a problem except she was too mouthy for her own good. He hoped she never ended up in the real world; she'd lose what little sanity she MIGHT have had.  
  
"I can't eat like this. Move your hand so I can eat my stupid sandwich." Angel tried to bring her sandwich to her mouth but stopped when Julius' hands didn't move. They laid flat against the table, tapping in an irritating manner. "Kanteon..I'm warning you."  
  
"Warning me? What are you going to do? Talk me to death, glare me to death, or horror of horrors-force me to listen to American music?"  
  
"That's it."   
  
Corey almost cheered when her fist struck out at him. He would have except Julius moved in time and her fist hit the wall behind him. She bit back a curse and tried again. And again and again and again.   
  
"Angel, that's enough!" Russ' hand caught one of her arms and Tara caught the other. He wasn't sure which one spoke the command; he thought Tara since Angel began to calm almost instantly.  
  
Julius smirked. "Let the little girl have her fun. It's not like she's hit me yet,"he said, leaning back and watching the display. The words are barely out before her fist made contact with his jaw; Tara hurriedly pinned her hand again.  
  
Rogue and Logan burst in at that moment.  
  
"Julius, Angel, break it up. NOW!"   
  
Angel's cuffed hands went limp in the other two's hands; one of Julius' lifted to rub his bruised jaw. It must have been tender because he grimaced and pulled slightly away.  
  
"What the hell was that bullshit, kid?"Logan demanded, alternating his glares between the two of them.   
  
Corey noticed the purplish-blue bruise forming along Angel's hand and the slight swelling of her fingers; the same was happening to Julius' jaw. He watched Rogue bend her fingers then shake her head; he knew it wasn't a good sign for either one of them.  
  
"Kanteon can't keep his mouth shut and make a crack about American music. Better than Canada music..."  
  
"Honey, Logan's canadian,"Rogue soothed, continuing to study her hand,"You dislocated your ring and pinky fingers. The others are just bruised."   
  
Logan growled. "I suppouse he provoked you?"  
  
"No, sir. I just hit him because I couldn't eat my damn sandwich and he irritated me,"Angel repeated then yelped as there was the sound of her fingers being relocated. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks but she didn't make any other sound.  
  
Corey wanted to interrupt but who wanted Richie Rich's opnion? He had a good idea that no one there would appreciate his opnion. He did what was best for them all. He walked out of the room; he didn't need them and they sure didn't need him....  
  
Kellie watched Corey walk away but couldn't bring herself to go after him. They were total strangers. She didn't trust him. He didn't know a thing about her. She didn't know him.  
  
They were best left that way.  
  
"Anyone else want to add something?"  
  
Tara shook her head.  
  
Russ shrugged, returning to the sandwich that he'd been eating. He ate it in less then four bites then made his way out of the room and toward another part.  
  
"Yeah. I have to piss,"Julius said, standing and pulling Angel up with him. His hand still rubbed his bruised jaw.  
  
This should be entertaining, Kellie thought. She leaned back against the wall, watching the display with interest.  
  
"No. I am not going with you to the bathroom...I draw the line, Kanteon. Hold it."  
  
"Right, Demon. Either get up or I plan to drag you upstairs and to the bathroom."  
  
The now-familiar sound of Logan's blades exiting drew their attention. A few moments of talking later Angel and Julius left the kitchen, made their way upstairs, continuing to bicker back and forth about their position. Logan and Rogue left, muttering together about 'bad ideas' and 'scientists'.   
  
"Well that was engaging. How'd you have such a calming effect on her, Tara?"  
  
Tara shrugged. "I've spent nine years keeping her from getting herself or someone else killed. Angel's got a goal to prove herself since...hell, as long as I've known her she's always had to prove herself. Maybe that's why we stay together. I need the protection."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aren't you done yet?"   
  
Angel sat on the edge of the counter as best she could, being that both her hands were cuffed to his. She swung her legs back hitting them against the counter; one hit his.   
  
"Since you're so impatient wanna help?"  
  
"I'm thinking...no,"she replied, toying with the soap bottle on the counter,"I just don't feel like having to sit here while you fight with your zipper."  
  
Julius looked up at her. "Then would you like to help?"  
  
She chose not to answer .A good.  
  
That was one thing she hadn't counted on when they got handcuffed together. Thirty hours. Her fingers still hurt from punching the wall, even worse since the lovely Rogue relocated them. Bluish-purple bruises were coming up on her hands along with Julius' jaw.  
  
She turned on the water. "I can't listen to this."  
  
"Get used to it, sweetie. We're stuck together for thirty hours...well, actually twenty-seven now,"he replied, in the process of using the bathroom.  
  
"If you stay quiet we'll both live. How the hell are we suppoused to take showers? Sleep?"  
  
"I'll close my eyes while you're in and you'll close yours while I'm taking a shower. We could always sleep together,"Julius pointed out, zipping up his pants and buttoning them. He reached over her and washed his hands, ignoring the fact that the movement dragged her hands with him, soaking them.  
  
"I don't like you enough for either one, Kanteon. Would you dry you hands and stop dripping water on me? I don't feel like spending the day and night wet."  
  
"Don't you?"  
  
Something slammed downstairs. "CHERE, REMY'S HOME!"  
  
"Who the hell are you?"a second voice echoed.  
  
Julius and Angel exchanged looks then both scrambled for the bathroom door. The result was both ending up in a heap in the hallway.  
  
"I doubt you'll live through this thirty hours."  
  
"Don't think you will either, Kanteon darling." 


	7. Where Lies the Dead Lies the Proof

Kellie stared at the man who had just entered the mansion. Her breathe stopped on impact as she took in his features.   
  
Auburn-brown hair in a long ponytail. Red on black eyes. Jean and a t-shirt with a brown trenchcoat. Different but yet the same man. Cards flowing from his pockets, several cradled in his hands.  
  
She knew there was no mistake that he was from the picture. She'd found it before she'd run into and almost 'dusted' Logan; it had been buried beneathe a floor board. It was anyone's guess who had buried the picture.   
  
It was a group shot of several people in uniforms with a strange X. She hadn't bothered to think about it, hadn't seen a reason. X for X-men. What was to think about? Who was this man if they were all dead? A ghost? The one that lived?  
  
Russ repeated his previous, unwelcome greeting. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
The man's gaze turned suspicious and the cards in his hand came ablaze. A reddish glow came from his hand and engulfed the cards; it was almost identical to what Russ had described. Almost.  
  
"Dat, mon ami, isn't your concern. Where de X-Men?" The cajun accent sounded odd to Kellie's ears. New Yorkers all shared a common or similar accent if they'd lived there long enough. His was a change.  
  
"The X-Men. What is it with these people? They've gotten a lot of people fooled with this X-Men garbage,"Corey stated, coming in from another room at the same moment that Rogue and Logan came down the stairs.  
  
Kellie watched Rogue stop dead. All color drained from her face and she appeared to stop breathing.   
  
"Oh, God, no..."  
  
"Chere, Remy's home..." The cards flew in all directions as he released them.   
  
Logan interrupted,"Take cover."  
  
The three gathered 'recruits' took that as a sign and threw themselves into other room, behind furniture. Instantly several explosions went off followed by two voices, heavily swearing. One was in french, incredibly fast french.  
  
"Remy Lebeau, don't talk like that,"Rogue stated, obviously getting her voice back. She now stood nose-to-nose with the man, Remy Lebeau. She didn't look pleased. "Don't upset the new recruits or we'll have another kiss...a very long kiss."  
  
Remy smirked and delibertly brushed a strand of her from her face. "Promise, chere?"  
  
What's with those two? They're acting like two kids who haven't had enough play time with one another...it's like they're family or....possibly past lovers?  
  
Kellie recalled the picture that had been hidden. Remy, whoever he was, had his arm intertwined with Rogue's even though it looked like she'd rather have killed him then let him touch her from her expression. Her eyes said it wasn't the whole truth.  
  
The moment and her thoughts were broken with the arrival of Angel and Julius. Their landing at the bottom of the stairs wasn't that easy as both appeared incredibly banged up and unhappy.  
  
Logan growled and pointed to a room off to one side; the rec room. "Gumbo, Rogue, go. Kids, move it before I make you move and where's Tara?"  
  
"Kid's stuck to the tv, Wolvie,"Rogue called back upon entering the room. Something clicked off followed by a protest then a yelp of suprise....................  
  
Remy Lebeau's first thought upon entering the X-mansion, home of billionare, Charles Xavier, base of operation for the X-Men, was that it was wonderland. Someone, maybe Sinster, maybe Magneto, maybe Mesmero, maybe someone he couldn't remember, had transformed the mansion into it's own private joke.  
  
Instead of being greeted by his chere, the usual jokes, and a Scott lecture he was met by three strangers. One female, spiked pink hair, dressed in black leather pants with an oversized red t-shirt, boots, and a million spiked jewlery pieces; gloves without knuckles covered both hands. One male, 'mullet' cut black hair, dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt with some nonexsistent band logo across the front, eating an apple. Another male. light brown hair in an almost military cut, dressed in what could only be Scott Attire.  
  
Not de welcome dis cajun be expectin'.   
  
Insult to injury had been Rogue and Logan's strange reaction combined with the other two kids who were, of all things, handcuffed together. Tara had been the biggest shock; how many kids had a tongue that could catch something on the other side of the room or could hang off ceilings?  
  
Remy didn't know any. Or hadn't.   
  
"Chere or Logan want to explain to Remy who dese chil'ren be?"he questioned, moving to longue in his favorite chair and realizing it wasn't there. He hit the floor, hard. "Where's Remy's chair, chere?"  
  
Rogue sighed, motioning for them to sit. The six strange kids sat, more or less leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the room. Several of them looked more like they should be in a police line-up rather then the Xavier's Insitute for Gifted Youngsters.   
  
"Remy, sugah, what day is it?"  
  
Remy shrugged and leaned back, studying Rogue with a quizzical expression. "It be October 13th 1979. (Year of the Fall of the X-Men; the date when they all died)"  
  
Laughter from the gathered recruits stopped his confidence. No one had laughed at him at the institute before without good reason; he didn't see a good reason at the moment. Rogue shook her head, slowly.  
  
"No, hon, it's November 11th, 2004.....in all reality, the X-Men don't exist and you, Remy Lebeau, you're dead..."  
  
Dead. A strange thing to hear someone say.   
  
You, Remy Lebeau, you're dead.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corey knew something was wrong the second Rogue finished speaking. The change in 'Remy's' demeanor couldn't have been mastered through practice or anything; the disbelief and anguish that crossed his face couldn't be fake.  
  
"Stop wit' de joke, Roguey. Dis isn' amusing to dis cajun...."  
  
"Gumbo, it's fact. Check the calendar, the tv, anything.....it's 2004 and the X-men are all dead except for us. We found the bodies, including yours. If you need proof, follow me." Logan stated the facts with zero emotion before walking away. Remy and Rogue followed.  
  
Corey hesitated, traded looks with the others left behind. It was unspoken what they would do. There was no need to say it.Proof. The thing they'd all been searching for.  
  
He crossed the room and followed.   
  
Seconds passed before the next group left.   
  
He didn't know why they bothered moving at diffrent times. They all planned to go to one place; it wasn't that hard to figure out.   
  
Footsteps echoed and marred the dirt packed ground in the fast fading daylight. Make-shift grave marks, two sticks made into a crude cross with a name scratched into the outmost one, covered the back yard. They seemed to go on for miles.   
  
The first trio stopped at the head of the stones but Rogue motioned with one hand to the six hanging back.  
  
"This is for you too. See the dream that wasn't...."  
  
The dream. They spoke as if it was over now but earlier they'd spoken about 'continuing the dream'. It felt like they were giving up.   
  
Corey walked past the trio. He walked between diffrent stones, reading names. They made no sense to him but some of them were marked with odd names.  
  
Sage: Psylocke  
  
Jean Grey Summers: Phoenix  
  
Scott Summers: Cyclops  
  
Bishop  
  
Warren Worthington III: Angel  
  
Henry "Hank" McCoy: Beast  
  
Robert Drake: Iceman  
  
Remy Lebeau: Gambit  
  
Ororo Munroe: Storm  
  
Sarah: Morrow  
  
Kurt Wagner: Nightcrawler (Here a single rose laid across the stone and the word 'brother' was carved beside the names. Someone came here often, judging by the imprints in the fresh dirt)  
  
Millions more covered the ground. He barely made out stranger names-Shadow Cat, Banshee, Mystique, Lifeguard....  
  
The last one really held his attention.  
  
Charles Xavier: Professor  
  
The professor.   
  
Voices drew his attention and he looked around, surveying the others. Rogue, Remy, and Logan hadn't moved from their spot, Remy's grave, except Remy had dropped to his knees. Kellie and Tara were moving throughout the graves, reading names with a strange look written on their faces; almost disbelief. Julius stood next to Angel(what choice did they have with handcuffs?). That's where the strange part was. Angel was crying, crying without a sound, crying for people she never knew, people she never could know.   
  
Empathy.  
  
Corey understood the term far better then the others. This had to be hell for her, feeling what the others did especially the remaining X-Men; it had to be hell for them. He understood the pain of losing someone that mattered but losing everyone that mattered.   
  
One moment.  
  
Everyone gone but you.  
  
Only two survivors.  
  
You're one.  
  
Hell alone.  
  
Finding the bodies. Burying them. Alone.   
  
Hell.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Logan walked outside and leaned against one of the support pillars of the mansion. He didn't bother with a cigar since he didn't plan to move and he knew he wasn't alone; he looked over toward the rocking chair on the porch.  
  
"Kid, why are you sitting out here?"  
  
Tara shrugged, drawing her legs up into the chair with her. She looked past him at the darkness. "Didn't want to be inside...dead silence gets to me. No one's really spoken since earlier with....the graves. Who are all those people, Logan?"  
  
He sighed. "Those were the X-men. Were. They're dead now except the ones you know, end of story..."  
  
"You and Rogue talked of a dream. Were they part of it?"  
  
"Yeah, kid, they were the dream."  
  
"What was Xavier's dream as you called it?"she asked, unable to stop herself.   
  
Logan tensed but tried not to show it. The kid was getting to him, no one got to him. Ever.  
  
"The dream was for mutants and humans to live together without one dominating the other. He wanted them to co-exsist. Magneto wanted homo superior to rule homo sapien, no co-exsistance. Years fighting for a dream that failed in one moment. There was never a chance for either side to win.....humanity hated us even those that tried to help. To them we were always a danger, always unacceptable..."  
  
Tara drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. Everything in the girl had gone defensive at the statements or facts he'd made. Something told him she understood the inability to co-exsist more then everyone of them did; he had a feeling all the kids had a helluva understanding for their ages.   
  
The girl didn't speak again.  
  
She didn't need to.   
  
There was the whole plan of Xavier's dream laid out in black and white.  
  
The decision was here for her and for the others.  
  
Take it and save a lost cause or drop it and continue their exsistence in death, riots, and shadows.  
  
There's chapter seven. There may still be more X-Men coming back but at the moment there's only those three...sorry; Hank is on the list, later. Jean won't be back because I, unlike Marvel, know when to leave the evil one dead-now. Things get more intense in the next few chapters, including the beginning of serious training.....there's about to be a skip of times for plot reasons. 


	8. Can't Miss What You've Never Known

Anything but Ordinary3: In response to Mystique being buried with the X-Men, every mutant that was known in the comic verse-brotherhood, x-men, maurders, everyone, is buried here; it's like a unity thing because they all died in the same war at the same time. Scott's return is on Hiatus, Yes, if our fanfiction universes met all hell would break lose, maybe I'll let them meet in The Unreal World:World Premier. What do you think?  
  
A/N: The character of Russ Collins and Rusty Collins are nowhere near the same person. I wasn't even aware the second existed until I checked out a website and saw him listed; anyone who might think they are the same person would be wrong. Why didn't I know this?  
  
Thanks goes to Anything but Ordinary3 for the website where I got my information for the X-men further into this chapter. Thanks to my other reviewers, too!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
JANUARY 16, 2005  
  
"Sabbath/Angel, end session! Image/Tadpole, take over!"   
  
Angel stopped with her fist inches from hitting Russ then slumped against a wall, panting heavily. Sweat poured from her forehead despite the thin tank top and sweat pants she wore; blood streamed down one side of her face, soaking into her shirt.  
  
Russ wasn't much better. One of his arms hung crookedly while blood poured from his bloody mouth and bruised eye; sweat soaked his tank top and arms. His breathing was heavy and labored as they made their way out of the room.  
  
"You need some help, Russ?"she asked, offering him her shoulder to lean on since he seemed to be having difficulty standing. She stopped walking to face him.  
  
Tara and Corey entered.  
  
Russ shook his head. "I'm fine...just an old injury from before I came here...it's a lasting effect for the last few months."  
  
She shrugged and slipped through the doors, making her way to the medlab area. Footsteps following assured her that he was going to the same place. That wasn't odd since both of them usually had to pay a visit there after a training session with one another; their sessions were almost the most violent.  
  
Remy was waiting. "Angel, what y'do dis time, belle?"he questioned, taking in her bleeding face and the clothes clinging to her body. "Y'win?"  
  
"Nope, Logan ended the session before we could complete it...take care of him first, Remy." She said before settling into a chair and turning, lazily around in circles.  
  
Her friendship with Russ Collins has grown slightly but she still didn't trust him with much more then just stupid things since joining the 'Alliance'. They always allowed the worst abused one to go first despite whatever tension had risen between them in the session.  
  
It was odd to fight for what felt like no reason. She was used to fighting for what she, Tara, and her family were-mutants. There'd never been a time when she fought just for the hell of learning except the first few months after her mutation.  
  
Vel had trained her to be pain resistant.  
  
The tattoo on her left shoulder blade throbbed as a reminder. It had taken six hours to get done and more tears and blood then she had ever shed in her thirteen years; three years later it still reminded her of her training.  
  
"De child win, Sabbath?"Remy questioned after helping him onto the examining table and beginning to go over his shoulder. He placed a rag in Russ' hand then searched for the medical supplies they'd replace months ago.  
  
Angel stared at the ceiling for a moment then realized there were shouldn't be multi-colored dots dancing across the ceiling. She slid from the chair and rummaged through the cabinets; her hands closed around a bottle of pharmacy brand pills. She dumped two out then swallowed a gulp of water, tossing the pills down.   
  
Remy's voice startled her and she almost choked on the pills. "Mon ange, don't take pills 'less Remy prescribes dem."  
  
"Remy, I've been taking these pills since the day you bought them. Most of them end up in me anyway since I'm the only one that can stomache them..."  
  
"I'll take some, Remy. My head's killing me since Angel decided to give me a concussion,"Russ growled then grimaced when the crack of his shoulder popping back into place came. His hand went up to rub the area for a moment while he gritted his teeth and fought against the pain.   
  
"Angel, Russ, Remy t'ink y'need to take de training a little easier...it be a sad day when one of y'got to be buried with de X-men,"Remy stated, glowering at both like a father would. "Who Remy expect next, petite?"  
  
"Tara and Corey. They just went in and Logan's in a pissy mood..."  
  
"Kellie and Julius alright?" Russ slid from the table then switched places with Angel after she'd moved from the chair. He leaned his head back against the chair rest and closed his eyes, letting out a moan that could rival any cat.  
  
Remy nodded. "Oui. Dey resting and de belle should waking in a few hours...what is dis, Angel?"  
  
Angel tensed at the feel of his hand on her back and the tattoo there. She pushed herself away from the table and jumped down, wiping her face with a towel. It came away blood-stained and grimey; she pressed her face into the towel, almost screaming.  
  
"Petite?"  
  
She pulled the towel away and bandaged her own face, wrapping the bleeding part of her arm in a bandage. She hesitated then made sure Russ wasn't listening before she answered.  
  
"It's just a tatoo, Remy. I've had it since I was...uh, thirteen."  
  
Remy looked skeptical but left it alone. He replaced the medical supplies then gave Russ two pills and a glass of water.  
  
He nodded thanks then tossed down both bills and the entire glass of water in one swallow. A shudder cough came from him but he waved them off, bending his head. The coughing continued for a moments then stopped.   
  
"Take it easy, homme. Dis not de best for y'to get sick and die..."  
  
Angel rolled her eyes and helped Russ up.   
  
"Not helping, Remy,"she replied with a smile as they made their way out of the door. "If you need me I'm gonna be upstairs, writing my aunt, mmkay?"  
  
"Oui, petite. Take de boy to his room first..."  
  
Great, I get to play baby-sitter. Hell. He's older then I am by two years but I have to help HIM to his room? What's the deal with that?"  
  
Russ' voice interrupted her tirade. "How are you so calm?"  
  
They'd reached the stairs.  
  
"What do you mean? I'm used to people being hurt in this world..."  
  
"Not what I meant. You talk about writing your aunt as someone else would their parents...doesn't that fact that they're gone affect you at all?"he asked, leaning more heavily against her the further up they went.   
  
She shrugged. "Can't miss what you've never known, Sabbath. I never knew or can't remember anyone else. There's nothing to effect me..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Clicking keys and muffled curses streamed from the mostly closed bedroom door on the second level of the mansion. Mutters about computers today and the importance of being 'safe-guarded' followed.  
  
Russ slammed his hand onto the keyboard as a loud beeping sound flowed from the volume. He hastily rolled it down on a muffled curse.   
  
Something black and gray flashed onto the screen. Scrambled words and numbers glittered in the block; millions of boxes of text began popping up all over the screen then shutting down.   
  
Come on, Annie. Justa little bit more... He typed in a few more words then smiled as a new message flashed.  
  
ACCESS GRANTED: MUTANT FILES   
  
A few keystrokes later and a second popped up along with two lists.  
  
XAVIER'S INSTITUTE  
  
LIVINGDECEASED  
  
Russ slid his cursor down the list of names, stopping on the first he recognized-Gambit. He clicked it then scrolled through the information; he skimmed several rather long paragraphs.   
  
Several items stood out.   
  
Known relatives: Jean-Luc LeBeau (father), Bella Donna Boudreaux (wife, separated)   
  
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record   
  
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Thieves Guild (New Orleans)   
  
Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana  
  
A lengthy biography followed with the details of how he became a member of the X-men followed by something to do with Antartica and 'marriage'. The typical information saved to government files about his mutant powers followed; nothing new.  
  
He scrolled to the next name he recognized. Rogue.  
  
Known relatives: Mystique (unofficial foster mother), Nightcrawler (foster mother's son)   
  
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record   
  
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Brotherhood of Evil Mutants III   
  
Place of birth: Caldecott County, Mississippi   
  
Her bio was without the easy flowing way of Gambit's. It seemed choppy, skipping several years, then returning as if the author was unsure about the correct order; several mentions went back to Carol Danvers, Mystique, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants III.  
  
"So the X-men deal is legit...what about the ones that are dead?"Russ wondered aloud, already in the process of closing that window to search for the next one.  
  
Wolverine.  
  
Known Relatives: John Howlett (father, deceased), Elizabeth Howlett (mother, presumed deceased) "The Old Man" (unnamed grandfather, presumed deceased) Windsong (wife, deceased)   
  
No Legal Status.  
  
Group Affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Clan Yashida, the Weapon X Program, Alpha Flight   
  
Place of Birth: Unknown, presumably in Canada.  
  
His biography was much too long to read every detail and remember it. Skimming proved mostly useless except for the fact that it allowed him to see a little into the past of the bad-tempered man; it wasn't much of a past that a person would want. His mutation was described somewhat in depth but not quite; it was choppy like Rogue's bio.  
  
The biographys were helping but what about the others? There were millions of crosses and graves but it seemed as if some of them were more set off then others like the person had done some unforgiveable wrong. One thing had been cleared up, however. The brother on Nightcrawler's cross had been done by Rogue; obviously it wasn't a natural sibling set-up but what was natural about the mutant world?  
  
Russ looked up, suddenly, glancing around the room as if in search of something. There'd been a breeze and the door was more open then it had been before; someone had entered, despite the empty room.  
  
He slid his hand under the desk and withdrew the item he'd been hiding there for a month. It was another of Gage's devices.   
  
This one was black with a brown skimming around it. A darker brown place glistened until he pressed his thumb over it, trading the small object in his hand for...emptiness. He opened his hand then returned to his keyboard, beginning to exit and lock the computer back down.   
  
He stared at the screen, catching glimpses of names. Most were recognizable because of the markers they'd seen earlier; every name he could remember seemed to be within the files.  
  
Gage's device deeped, obsessively, behind him. It had found the object of his disturbance. It hovered, waiting.  
  
Russ stood and walked to the item, watching it slowly trail down a wall. It was following.  
  
"Stop,"he commanded, raising his hand. The item lost it's glow then fell to the floor, heavily. "Why were you spying on me, Corey?"  
  
It took a few moments before Corey appeared in the exact location of the item with a brief glance at the silent object. He leaned down, cautiously.  
  
Russ settled into his chair. "Pick it up. It won't hurt you unless I tell it to...why were you spying?"  
  
"I knew you'd disconnect the second I entered the room so I altered your mind to see nothing while I was here. I planned to leave and come back as myself after I did."   
  
He stared at the item, now resting in his palm. He turned it several times and fixed his glasses over the bridge of his nose to see better; the item was alien to anyone that didn't know Gage. The only other people who knew about his inventions were Gage's older sister and Carolina but neither would tell anyone since both were dead or missing.  
  
"The Mutant Registration Act was passed in 1981, wasn't it, Corey?"  
  
He nodded. "I thought so. That's what the laws teach and so on...why?"  
  
He stood and took the item, placing it under the desk again. Feelers on one side reached out and clung just out of site or feel of anyone sitting at the desk or within the room. His hesitance was with good reason.  
  
"There's files here on the mutants, spanning the 60s and 70s. Why do you suppouse an old now-abandoned mansion have mutant records before the registration act? And why are all the mutants listed as deceased except Rogue and Logan?"   
  
Russ waited for an answer.  
  
Corey shrugged.   
  
"Well, Einstein, maybe because....oh, I dunno, they are deceased?" Julius' voice drew both their attentions to the door. He leaned against it as casually as anyone else would except for the billowing black trenchcoat and boots on his feet. His expression plainly wasn't pleased especially with the bandage covering from just below his left eye and skimming almost to his lips; a bruise ringed the other eye.  
  
"Thanks, by the way...how's that shiner Dust gave you coming?"Russ asked, delibertly using the girl's codename in a way that would add insult to injury.   
  
Kellie had left her mark with Julius. One side of his face was in need of repair where the skin had flaked and turned to dust, lightly; the bruise darkened his angry expression. From what they'd seen Kellie didn't have much damage except for the numerous cuts covering her body along with several massive bruises.   
  
Julius growled,"Don't mention her. What's this about deceased mutants?"  
  
Corey started to speak but fell silent when Julius' gaze swung to him.  
  
"Not you, Richie Rich. Einstein should explain..."  
  
Russ lounged in the chair, shifting his weight. The chair creaked.   
  
"Might as well get everyone in here. Angel, Tara, stop easedropping and bring Kellie..."  
  
A few moments after both their heads appeared through the door they returned with Kellie in tow. The three settled onto one of the empty beds, leaving Julius to stand.   
  
He noticed Angel made a point to ram her boot-encased foot into the back of Julius' leg when she passed. The girl definetly needed to stop provoking him before something serious happened between the two. He wasn't sure he'd stop it since they both provoked quite often but some part of him felt the need to play the peacemaker.  
  
"What's this about deceased mutants and the registration started in 1981?"Tara asked after they'd settled on to one bed. She reclined back against the headboard as if the bed belonged to her. Kellie and Angel sat up stiffly on one side of her.  
  
Russ sighed then began. "I looked into the files of the institute and came up with strange things. If the Mutant Registration Act strated in 1981 why did this Charles Xavier have files on his X-men and numerous others, spanning the 1960s and 70s?"  
  
Mumbles met his answer but Angel was the one that spoke.  
  
"It's not so strange. The military has records of mutants starting around the same time...there's even several mentions of the group called X-Men along with The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, whatever that is."  
  
"How would you know this?"Kellie asked giving her an odd look.  
  
Angel hesitated,"My uncle's a mercenary. He fights for the government and military of other countries. There's mentions of them...all of them and even a warrant for the arrest of several fugitive mutants in one of the prisons.."  
  
Here she stared down.  
  
"Who's the fugitives, Angel?" Russ watched her, waiting.  
  
"Remy Lebeau...Jean Grey-Summers....Kurt Wagner..."  
  
Several things happened at once after that. Something fell in the hallway with a crash-Julius' doing, two sounds almost like screams echoed down the hall, Kellie and Corey 'threw' themselves onto the floor, and red streamed down one of the walls.  
  
Julius drew himself up from the floor where he'd fallen. His composure was barely there. "What the hell was that, Einstein? You know everything else..."  
  
Russ shook his head. "We need to go downstairs and check it out. Rogue or Remy might be hurt..."  
  
Tara stared at him. "It could be Logan."  
  
"That's what worries me. He may have snapped...."  
  
"Logan wouldn't snap, Sabbath...."  
  
"Do you know that for sure? Kanteon, Corey, take the first level, left wing. Angel, Kellie, stay on the second level and find the disturbance. Tara, come with me to the first level, right wing.."   
  
No one moved.  
  
"NOW." The command came from Julius this time.   
  
The others moved off to their designated areas. Russ waited on Tara then closed the door, slipping a locking device onto it; he didn't want Gage's gadgets to be found in his room if someone was searching the mansion. Footsteps creaked for a moment then he realized it was simply Tara's shoes.  
  
"What are we even looking for?"Tara questioned while they made their way downstairs.  
  
"Truth? I don't know..." 


	9. TestingOneTwoTestingThreeFour

"Look, Richie Rich, I did not ask to get sattled with you. But if I have to be with someone I'd rather it be you then Demon or Dust."  
  
Corey rolled his eyes but ignored the biting way the words were spoken. His full attention was on the hall in front of them while they walked.  
  
Julius continued with his rant about the reasons Kellie and Angel irritated him; he seemed much too caught up in it. His attention wasn't on the stairs as it was suppoused to be and he fell head long down the stairs, slamming his head against the bottom plank. Julius didn't move.  
  
"You alive down there, Misery?"Corey yelled, making his way slowly down the stairs. He didn't hurry even though the other boy could have a concussion or worse. It would suit him just fine because of the torment he so obliviously put everyone else through; eye for an eye or something like that.   
  
He said nothing in response.  
  
Logan and Rogue'll have a field day with this one. He sighed and moved to heft Julius' large body up when something blue passed nearby; he jerekd upward, altering his appearance so anyone hanging around would see Logan rather then himself.  
  
Who was actually afraid of a guy that could create illusions by altering minds?  
  
"Not many people,"Corey answered himself before taking off in the direction he'd seen the blue blur go. "Here, Stitch, stitch, stitch." For some reason he remembered the silly blue creature from outer space that had been in theaters the year before.  
  
"Stitch, good gracious. What is this stitch?"  
  
Corey whirled around to face the voice but saw nothing. Something hit the back of his head, something hard. Stars burst onto his vision then darkness set in.  
  
"Oh my stars and garters, I think that might have been too hard....."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kellie stared straight ahead of her but kept an eye on Angel.   
  
She didn't feel any real connection to the girl but what kind of a person left someone else to fend for themself? Kellie knew she should be bitter about her parents' abandoning treatement of her but for some reason she couldn't repeat their mistakes. These people, these mutants, were like her and wanted to help. The least she could do was try to go along with at least part of it.  
  
"Kellie, did you hear something?" Angel's voice came from further off in the direction of one of the unused bedrooms of a further down hall. It was barely audible, reminding Kellie of the time she spent in institutions thanks to her loving parents.  
  
"Don't think about it, Kellie,"she muttered, taking off at a run toward the sound of Angel's voice. It seemed to draw further away from her.  
  
"Don't run, Kel, you could hurt yourself,"Angel called back seconds before an "mphf" and thud came from her general direction.  
  
Kellie unbuttoned the snap on her glove then pulled it off, preparing for any battle she might be forced to have. The atmosphere of the room changed dramatically at the same moment as glass shattering came; one of the guys swore next.   
  
She moved toward the sound but the lights cut out, leaving her in darkness; something slammed into her back. Her hands caught the staircase railing to keep herself from falling but footsteps told her the assaliant got away. Her breathe came in pants while she worked to hold on with her sweating palm and the glove encased other one.  
  
In another part of the mansion, Russ Collins' last thought was for Tara who had just yelped, a sound of pain. He started to turn toward her but found himself instead thrown back against the far wall; he collapsed there, watching shadows shift.  
  
Tara's last thought was-Well isn't this great?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
No one spoke for a long time while they sat at the 'meeting' table. The five remaining mutants stared down at the table; their gazes darted up sometimes but never met anyone else's. Rogue didn't move from her standing position with Remy behind Logan; Logan stared at them with a glare that could stop anyone's heart; Remy tapped a card against the back of the chair.   
  
Everyone waited for the silence to break. Angel broke it.  
  
"Since no one else'll say it. What was that and where is she?" The words were laced with barely-controlled anger and a form of fear that only Logan could pick up on. "Where is she?"  
  
Rogue sighed. "Angel, I told ya not everyone was happy with a reformation of the X-men... we're nothing but a menace, sugah."  
  
Russ spoke next. "Don't pull that, Rogue. You know who it was...tell us. We have a right to know; she's our teammate."  
  
"Bullshit,"Julius snorted, rising from the table. Eight pairs of eyes went to him. "I didn't sign up for a team and really I could careless about some stranger. She doesn't affect me in the least neither would her death..."  
  
In the next instant Angel had slammed him back against the wall on the other side of the room. Her usually calm face was contorted in anger and violence; one hand held him there from across the room. Her face was colorless except for the green of her eyes.  
  
"If she dies, I swear on my father's grave, you'll die seven times worse. Her death will be your death...an eye for an eye, life for a life." She stated with words with a cold finish while staring at Julius.  
  
Julius stared back, angered.  
  
Silence reigned in the room. Anyone with any emotion could feel the anger projecting from her mind and body; it was almost a physical force.  
  
Rogue's voice disrupted it. "Let him go, Angel. Don't kill him...there's other things to work out,"she said, not making a move to approach the girl. Her senses told her not to approach her since even Logan hadn't moved from his chair. "Let him go, sugah."  
  
Angel's hand dropped to her side and she sat down. Julius fell to the floor, making contact, hard. The physical force of the anger vanished.   
  
Kellie's gaze returned to the table while Corey stared at Julius' slow return to the table. His eyes never left Angel's; something between respect and hatred flashed there. He sat back down without a word. Russ glanced at his teammate but she remained gazing at a wall. Her expression had gone blank.  
  
"Now that the power struggle's over, it's time to explain some things,"Logan said, still not rising from the table. "The people that came here are part of an anti-mutant group from...well they were around during our time. This would be their children...they take an oath at a certain age and officially join the FoH."  
  
"Friends of Humanity,"Remy supplied after a moment of silence. He stopped the card against the table's edge. His attention switched to each of them several times; he settled it on a distant wall. "Dey have mutant issues...dey were su'poused to have died out de same day of uh, de X-Men's death."  
  
Kellie nodded, looking at him. "That's nice, Remy. Why'd they take Tara and how do we get her back?"she questioned, glancing at the others around her table. No one met her eyes, especially Julius, or moved.  
  
Remy fell silent.  
  
"It's not always that simple, Kellie. Friends of Humanity aren't just take and kill...they have a thing about torturing mutants until they either..." Rogue stopped speaking and stared off into spacing. Something about her words must have struck a nerve for she didn't move for a long time.   
  
"Either lose their sanity or things go too far and the mutant dies,"Logan finished, shifting away from the table. His attention stopped on Angel. "Fighting won't do any good and making promises to kill someone won't either, Angel. Rogue said it was too early for you guys to get a mission but with this there's not much of a choice...we've been searching for a headquarters but haven't found one as of yet."  
  
"So we just stay here?"Angel demanded, rising from the table; her expression was blank with no trace of her previous anger and violence. "We do nothing?"  
  
Corey stood. "We can't do anything if we don't know where she is...face it, Shatter, we can't do a thing."  
  
The others nodded their agreement except Rogue who was still staring into space and Remy who stared down at the hard marbled floor. Neither of them glanced toward her; the fact gave her anger a surge.  
  
"Well I won't stay and wait for nothing. I'm getting out of here..." In a few quick steps Angel Blade left the control room. A scream, more of confusion then anger, split the air.   
  
Logan cringed away. His hands went to his head because of the shrillness of her voice. Rogue and Remy snapped out of their respective trances as the new mutants rose. Several made a move toward the door but stopped it. Their hands went to their heads.  
  
Rogue forced up her walls just in time to block the empathy passing through. From Remy's expression he'd drawn up his walls, tighter; his own empathy wasn't going at the moment. Shatter's empathy drawn scream would have been enough to bring the younger mutants-Misery, Image, Dust, Sabbath-to their knees except for the heavy steel and metal laced walls surrounding the meeting room. An add-on with the development of a full empath.   
  
Julius looked toward them for an explanation, raising one eyebrow to ask his question. It was subtle yet not.  
  
Rogue explained, quietly,"Her empathy. When an empath feels a strong emotion it projections in the form of either a feeling or a scream...Angel's mixed emotions are forcing her to project screams. You need to learn to build up your walls, all of you. For the moment you're dismissed but stay within reaching distance...the second we find this headquarters we move. Be ready and waiting...no screw-ups or Tara will most likely die....."  
  
(I could leave it here, I really could...but I'm not that cruel. Here's the next part.)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tara opened her eyes, blinking in the dark interior of the room. Her head hurt as did both her wrists and ankles; her eyes felt as if someone had rubbed them with salt. She was not in a pleased mood.  
  
"Sabbath, I'm going to kill you!"she screamed at the ceiling, climbing up from her resting place on a couch. Her feet scraped against the floor along with the sound of metal scraping wood. Her gaze went to her feet and she almost cried out.  
  
Large silver cuffs encircled both her feet. They were anchored to the floor with a chain around a silver loop, protruding from the floor.   
  
Tara felt sick.  
  
"RUSS!ANGEL!" She jerked on her feet, trying to move and managed a few weak steps toward the window she could just make out the edges of. Her progress slowed when she ran into a table in the dark room. A curse split the air before she felt the edge of the paper her hand had touched. She tried to read it but couldn't make out anything about it in the dark.  
  
Ignoring the pain in her feet, Tara shuffled across the room and yanked the closed drapes from the windows. She had to bring her hands up to stop the flood of sunlight through the window; she bit down a whimper at the intensity of it. The window pane allowed her to see out onto the street but when she ran her fingers over it she realized it wasn't a full window. The person on one side could see out it but the ones on the other side wouldn't see anything except drapes even once they were moved.   
  
"Dammnit,"she muttered, slamming her fist against the window. Her gaze went to the edges of the white paper sticking out from between her fingers; her hand stung now. "Let's see what these people left me..."  
  
The note was simple yet the way it was written made her wonder. Satanic evil anti-mutant people or a strange run of the mill scientist?  
  
My deepest apologies for the terrible way you were brought here. I had hoped that it would be a non-violent confrontation but things did not go quite as well and organized as I had planned. Logan never was one for simple things but this test will prove whether your friends have learned anything or not. There's a fridgerator in the corner where you can get something to eat. Either myself or one of my associates will be in to check on you once you are awake.   
  
The signature was simply scribbled like a doctor.  
  
Tara crumbled it up and threw it behind her. "Great...Dr. Jekyll has kidnapped me as some test. What a lovely finish to the day...THANKS ALOT!"  
  
Her gaze went to the refridgerator. Her stomache growled at the same moment and she limped over to the small white appliance, dragging the chain attached to her ankles with her. Her hands shook slightly while she removed some food and began to eat; the ache to her stomache gradually faded and she realized something. She didn't know what time it was or how long she's been gone. Surely someone was looking for her.  
  
She stopped the thought.  
  
Yeah, right. Who would look for me? My foster parents were glad to lose me and the others are hardly a team or friends...I'm stuck here with this damn mad scientist.  
  
The door behind her opened. She turned to face it, forgetting about her food for the moment.   
  
The strangest sight ever greeted her. The man or beast standing in the doorway was covered from....well covered everywhere in dark blue fur. He wore a white lab coat like the doctors she'd seen at a hospital the few times she's ever been in her life; it made her want to move away from him.  
  
"Hello, Tara. I'm quite sorry for the state I've had to leave you in but...Logan's rules required that it seem as real as possible when the new recruits show up,"the 'beast' apologized while entering the room.  
  
Tara moved away from him, sliding closer to the one-sided window. Her expression was distrustful of the man; doctors weren't nice people from what she's seen. His persona screamed DOCTOR.  
  
"Why are you afraid, Tara? I know about all of you....Angel, Russ, Kellie, Corey, Julius...calm down, child."  
  
"How do you know me and who are you?"she demanded, looking away and out the window. People walked below along with the familiar scene of a street preacher, ranting against mutants; the sight held her attention.  
  
"I know you because I am meant to know you...My name is Henry McCoy but my friends call me...Hank."  
  
Aren't I horrible? Sorry Anything but Ordinary3 but I'm being evil and stopping it right here. Wonder what's going on? A little confused? Guess what? So's the author on one or two things; it's all going to work out. Most of you will probaly have figured out what's going on by now. 


	10. MISSION STATUS: FAILURE

JANUARY 17, 2005 (Early Morning)  
  
He stared across the grounds, watching her; he opened his mouth as if to speak then closed it. He'd planned to talk to her, maybe offer some condolense, but he didn't know what to say. He'd never been good at talking to anyone since he prefered to run; it was easier to run or ignore problems. It didn't help any but it was easier.  
  
"God, what am I doing here?"he asked, leaning against one of the pillars and watched her.   
  
Angel hadn't moved in over two hours. Her full attention was on the sun that was in the process of rising before them both. Her back was rigid and her hands clenched into tight fists at her side. Everything about her screamed LEAVE ME ALONE.   
  
The others had been resting since around eleven the night before when her mental screams had stopped. It had drained the X-men to hold up the shields that Rogue had explained about; none of them were up moving around. Their group had all collapsed almost seconds after the last scream.  
  
Somehow it didn't effect her now that she'd slept a little.  
  
He wasn't sure how he knew when she had woken up but he did. He continued to watch until footsteps behind him drew his attention. He didn't have to turn to feel her prescence.  
  
"Sugah, you should restin'. I think we've got a lead today..."   
  
"I can't. She's miserable...you don't even have to go near her to tell,"he replied, shifting to lean his weight more heavily against the pillar. "Will we find Tara today?"  
  
"One can hope. One can only hope..."  
  
JANUARY 17, 2005 (MID DAY)  
  
Kellie yawned and sank into one of the vacant chairs in the Meeting Room. Her eye lids felt heavy as if she hadn't slept when actuality she's slept around tweleve hours; every part of her ached, especially her head.   
  
"About time you joined the living, Kellie,"Russ stated, sinking into a chair at the table with a mug of coffee. He raised it to his mouth and took a drink, grimacing slightly as if it pained him. "There's coffee in the kitchen..."  
  
She shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "Can't stand the taste. Everyone up or are some still sleeping?"  
  
"Julius' sitting at the table with coffee. Corey's making toast. Angel's reading a book that she hasn't made it past page eleven in...you sleep well?"  
  
"Around eleven-thirty I got a few hours of sleep,"she replied without glancing away from the table. "How's Angel?"  
  
He shrugged, taking another drink.   
  
Wolverine's arrival stalled the conversation. Rogue and Gambit followed with looks that betrayed nothing of their emotions or what was going on. The remaining members of their alliance entered-Julius held a coffee mug, Corey looked worried, and Angel hadn't lifted her head out of the book.  
  
Kellie glanced over when Angel took the seat beside her. She was still reading page eleven despite the smear to the writing as if someone had cried; it was in one long place as if it was a single tear.  
  
"Since you're all here now we can begin. Rogue's found a lead on Tara...we have a direct location and are making plans to move out today." Logan said, taking his usual seat at the head of the table. "As I mentioned before you can't afford any screw-ups..."  
  
"Where is she?"Corey asked, shifting his gaze away from the staring contest he was in the middle of with Julius.  
  
Julius smirked and took another drink of his coffee.  
  
"That's the thing. It's in the downtown area...an old apartment complex that appears to have been empty for several years. For some reason we were unable to get a link on it..."  
  
"When do we leave?"Angel questioned, rising from the table. Her book lay open and forgotten.  
  
JANUARY 17, 2005 AROUND SUNSET-ROOFTOPS  
  
Footsteps echoed across a roof top for a moment then silence fell. A few dark shapes appeared and lingered on the top of a shadowed apartment complex; movement like heads looking around followed. Something like a hand raised then dropped. One of the shadows kneeled then stood, holding something up in their hand; it stood taller than any of the shadows.   
  
"Are you insane?" The words echoed in the stillness. Several people down below looked up toward the sound.  
  
"Maybe. Don't yell...I know what I'm doing. I did all the time when I needed to get home in a hurry."  
  
Whisphers are heard from nearby seconds before the shadows duck except what the one had been holding. It stood almost completely straight. Two other figures appear on the roof, skulking around with something held in their hands.  
  
One lifted his item into the air, aiming it around. "Who's up here? Come out and I may not shoot..."  
  
Three shadows held their breathe, waiting.  
  
After a few more moments of threatening with silent responses the two figures retreated, yelling to someone further inside the building. The rooftop door slammed.  
  
"Time to move,"one of the shadows said, sounding slightly higher than the other two. "Sabbath, you go first since you're used to it."  
  
Sabbath shifted away and straightened out the item he still held before them. He seemed to be waiting for something then threw it and leaped with it forward; his body vanished over the side of the building.....  
  
IN A DIFFRENT PART OF DOWNTOWN...  
  
"Remind me again what we're doing." One unseen voice spoke in the darkness to another while they walked along a back alley.   
  
Their feet were almost quiet except for the occcasional sound of gravel against shoes or trash against the walls. A black hand with slightly paler skin showing at the knuckles pressed against the wall then pulled away. It wiped sludge of the leg of the jeans it's owner wore.  
  
"Finding Tara. Would you prefer to go on the roof with Misery, Sabbath, and Shatter?"the second voice questioned. "I give you my permissioni to join them."  
  
"Cute, Dust, real cute."  
  
"I try."   
  
Dust slipped past him and into the streets of the busy downtown area. Her other hand worked furiously at the button of her glove before finally managing to loosen it enough so her hand would simply slip out.  
  
The first figure came up beside her without making a sound. It was just about to speak when several other shadows appeared beside and around them. They slid out of nowhere. One, appartantly the leader, stepped forward.  
  
"What are you doing here? Answer."  
  
The words were a command.  
  
"Think up a good excuse, Image, or do something..."  
  
Image glowered at her. "Great, leave me the hard part. We were looking for a friend of ours,"he replied, shifting enough to see the others around them. There were, on a guess, around eleven people; all wore masks and some held lead pipes in their hands as if to attack.   
  
"Your friend wouldn't be around here. Now leave, mutant."   
  
Dust slid her hand almost from the glove at the venom with which the words were spoken. It was as if the person seriously held a grudge against mutants. There was nothing that even resembled warmth or a humane voice there, simply a voice.  
  
Rogue did mention the Friends of Humanity were real anti-mutant. Why does their behavior suprise me anymore? she wondered, readying herself in case they moved in.   
  
Logan had taught them to fight without their powers unless things got too serious. He said it would improve their mental skills and help theirs powers stay within a controllable level; his words echoed in a bad way and a good way at the same time.  
  
"Oh, I think she is. Kind of short, frog-like features, little edgy and defensive of people?"   
  
Image's explanation wasn't recieved in a manner they'd expected. Hell broke lose when one of the once shadowed figures stepped forward then slammed the blunt end of the pipe almost into his stomache. He moved at the last moment and the pipe slammed into the brick wall behind him. Some kind of sign happened because within seconds the others had shifted into motion on the two mutants.  
  
BACK ON THE ROOFTOPS  
  
Shatter landed hard, bruising the pads of her knees and shooting pain upward when they came into contact with the hard concreate ground. She sat for a moment but finally took Sabbath's hand to help her up; she grimaced slightly at having to put weight on the bruised area.  
  
Misery waited on the other side.   
  
"Come on, Misery. If I can make it, you can!"she yelled back, balancing on the ledge enough to look down.   
  
"You're also telekenetic, aren't you?"   
  
Sabbath took the pole from her and threw it back. "You going to stand there all day or jump?"  
  
"Wait 'til I get over there..." Misery's hand closed around the end of the pole on the last words. He backed away a few steps.  
  
"Guys, Dust and Image aren't doing well...I think they need our help."   
  
He jumped across but instead of making it the pole clattered across the roof while his fingers clutched onto the edge of the sill that was overhanging. His nails scratched onto it.  
  
Sabbath moved quickly and caught his hand, helping him up and onto the roof. His feet slipped for a moment but finally both were standing on he roof.  
  
"See it wasn't that hard, Misery..."  
  
"Wasn't that hard my ass. I'm still voting that we turn around and leave Tara here...there's still five of us."  
  
"That isn't going to happen. I'm going down to help Dust and Image. You two get through and find Tara...if anything happens to her I'll personally kill you both." She smiled sweetly at both before jumping over the side of the edge of the building; she used the drainage thing hanging there to make it to the ground without breaking any bones.   
  
Sabbath dusted off his hands and moved away to look for a way into the complex. His full attention went to the ground then on trying to find a way to get through the large padlock on the door.  
  
"Hey, Sabbath, you like to play games so much...DUCK!"  
  
He turned just as the pole that had been attached to the ground part of the roof flew at his chest. It came within inches of hitting him...  
  
INSIDE THE APARTMENT  
  
"Read it, read it, read it, read it." Tara tossed magazine after magazine across the room and against the wall. They made dull sound when they hit the wall. She continued tossing until the entire towering pile that had been beside her was laid on the opposite side of the room in a torn and tangled heap.   
  
The door opened behind her. She turned, expecting to see Hank or one of his assistants but instead was met by Logan.  
  
"You having fun, kid?"he questioned, walking over while twirling a large ring of keys around one finger. "Apparantly your friends didn't learn much..."  
  
"Why would you say that?"she questioned, shifting away from him to look out the window. Her attention went directly to the scene below her. She could just make out her so-called teammates below, fighting.   
  
Logan snorted. "They've barely stopped fighting even though I'm suprised they even came. With Julius' attitude you'd be locked here forever and then some."  
  
He knelt and slid a key into the lock that held her cuffs. It caught a moment then both cuffs slid open and fell to the floor.  
  
Tara leaned down to rub her ankles for a moment. She looked up at Logan with a combination of thanks and anger. "Did you wait long enough?"she asked, moving to walk past him.   
  
Logan caught her arm, somewhat tightly. "We're leaving. Don't say or do anything. Just follow me...Hank and his team should be out by now."  
  
She nodded and followed him out of the room then down a long curving flight of stairs. Her attention went to the item on his wrist he'd moved to his mouth.  
  
"Give it twenty seconds then blow up the building...that should give them quite a bit to think about,"he said into it without stopping in his walking.  
  
Blow up the building?   
  
What was going on?"  
  
She had thought it was simply a test for their alliance. The building was going to be blown up and do who knew how much damage to the town and her friends. She didn't want to see that happen.  
  
"What about the others, Logan?"  
  
He stopped for a moment then smiled almost animalistically. "Trust me we couldn't get that lucky. They'll live and regret every minute of their failure..."  
  
BACK OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT  
  
Dust pressed her bare hand against the face of the man who held her pinned against one of the walls, heavily. The skin there began to fake and decay away while he screamed in panic. His grip on her loosened and she released him, slamming her foot as hard as she could into first his chest then his ribs.  
  
"Dust, that's enough..." Image's voice drew her away . "We need to get to Tar--"  
  
His words had just come out when the building before them exploded. As if on cue the "foot soliders" as they'd named them vanished. Two figures were thrown from the roof; one stopped seconds before he would have slammed into a wall and the other barely avoided being thrown to the ground violently. His body hit the ground but at a diffrent angle and not quite so painful.   
  
Shatter brought her hands down at the same moment as she fell to her knees. Her expression had gone completely blank as they stared up at the large burning building; her hands fell to the pavement, limply.  
  
Sabbath stared from his place against one wall.  
  
Misery pulled himself up into a sitting position and began to pick gravel out of his palms. His expression showed vague interest.  
  
Dust and Image froze, staring up at the building.   
  
One thought passed through five minds.  
  
Tara.  
  
Clapping drew their attention. Several figures stepped forward. One was much shorter then the other and stood at a half-crouch. The taller one looked extremely pissed; his lips pulled back in a sneer.  
  
"Congradulations. If this was a real mission you'd all be DEAD. And those of you not dead? Would be either in a COMA or VEGETABLES. CONGRADU-FUCKING-LATIONS." 


	11. Sometimes It Just Isn't

A/N: My other story's on hiatus at the moment...the humor one since I can't figure out where to go and I need a little help from Anything but Ordinary3.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I guess you expect me to sugar coat how horrible a job you did on this mission, right?" Logan paced back in forth in front of his failed team.  
  
Four heads stared at the ground before them. Their heads were bowed in an almost submissive way but the rigid set of their shoulders showed none were completely beaten. Dirt and sweat streaked their bodies and clothes; clothes stuck to their body so tight it could have been a second skin.  
  
One stared straight ahead, meeting Logan's eyes. His expression was unconcerned and completely devoid of any emotion. Dirt, sweat, and blood streamed from his face then down his shirt, flowing from a wound on his arm.  
  
"I don't intend to sugar coat it. You did a horrible job and if this were real we'd be burying you with the X-men around back...wait, no, that would be wrong. None of you deserve to be buried with them, not now, not ever,"Logan growled, glowering at each of them and stopping on Julius' dignified, proud expression. "This is all a joke to you, Kanteon? Training and getting to know one another didn't do shit. You don't know what a team is...none of you do. Until you learn don't any of you come within twenty feet of me if you value your lives. They're yours, Rogue, Gumbo. Hank's in the medlab if anyone needs him, I doubt it."  
  
His footsteps echoed away from them.   
  
No one moved or spoke.   
  
Remy stepped forward and shook his head. "Mon only words be dese, petites-Vous n'avez rien appris. J'ai honte." (You learned nothing. I am ashamed.)   
  
With that said Remy Lebeau walked away.   
  
Rogue hesitated a moment, only a moment, then walked away from them.  
  
"At least their finally gone,"Julius said, walking across the room and looking out one window.  
  
No one else moved for a long moment. He didn't blame them. He was in control now and Logan...well, Logan was pissed at them. It served him right for trying to make a dream that had been crushed once reality twice.  
  
Kellie broke the silence. "You didn't get a bit of what Logan said, did you? This isn't just a five-year-old stunt you can pull...maybe this has gotten you somewhere with your parents and whoever brought you up but here you take responsiblity for your actions, we all do."   
  
Low clapping came. Seconds later it turned into full best-orchestra-I've-ever-seen applause.   
  
Julius barely turned to see who was clapping. He could tell by the sound of it and the fact that Tara had gone upstairs to rest and take a shower after her ordeal.   
  
Russ and Corey.   
  
"You don't know a thing about me and I never asked to be part of this 'team' as you call it,"he said, turning away from the window. His gaze met each of them head on.  
  
Angel held it the longest. Her voice and face were devoid of emotion when she next spoke. "None of us asked for this but for some of us it's all we have, all we'll ever have, to keep our sanity..." Her boots echoed for a long time once she'd left.  
  
That's it. I've had it with her riddles. I'm going to confront her once and for all...this ends now.   
  
He walked out, ignoring the others eyes on him. He felt them staring but didn't turn; he was too used to being stared at to care about them or their opinions of him.   
  
Julius caught up with her or as close as he could get at the bottom of the stairs. She'd already made it halfway up the stairs but turned at the sound of her name. Her gaze didn't change nor did her face betray what she felt.  
  
"Why the hell do you have to be such a damn statue all the time?"he demanded without preamble or giving her time to form a response. "Would it kill you to show an emotion?"  
  
Angel froze for a moment, unable to speak, obviously. "I have to be a statue. It wouldn't kill me to show an emotion but it could kill someone else...my emotions are worse then a telepath in an asylum."  
  
"How bad could showing an emotion be?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.  
  
She hesitated. "You honestly want to know?"  
  
He nodded, making a point to stare straight into her eyes.  
  
"The summer I turned thirteen my powers manifested. My uncle was showing me around the holding docks for mutants...it was part of his job when he wore his image inducer. I don't know when empathy came but suddenly I felt every single thing any of them felt...thousands of mutants filled with hate, fear, anger, pity. It scared me and...I don't know why but next thing I know I was trying to kill my uncle, cursing him and his workers in English and Spanish both. I don't even know where I got Spanish from." Angel stopped speaking for a moment then tore her gaze from his. "That's why I can't show emotion. I can't afford it and the world can't afford it."  
  
Julius shook his head when she retreated up the stairs. Her voice held no sign that she wanted pity. It was simply facts that she stated as calmly as anyone else would give their order from a menu at a resteraunt.   
  
"There are worse things to life, my dear Angel, worse things then you'll know....."  
  
JANUARY 18, 2005   
  
"I can't feel my legs anymore." Corey settled into a chair, resting his feet on top the dark brown coffee table; his muscles screamed in protest at the movement. He picked up the remote and flipped through several channels, stopping it on a news station.  
  
Russ groaned from his place on the couch. "Oh, Lord, not him,"he mumbled, turning onto his side to better see the tv.  
  
Senator Tailsman's smiling, fake face appeared across the screen.  
  
Angel came into the room, chewing on the end of a peppermint. She leaned against the doorway, watching the tv from a slightly tilted angle. Her head leaned against the doorway in a manner that would be uncomfortable to some.  
  
"You wanna turn it up, sweetie?"she asked, innocently, propping her feet against the opposite side of the door frame.   
  
Corey shook his head but turned up the volume a few notches. His arm muscles protested since he'd made himself work extra hard considering Logan hadn't spoken to any of them since his tirade before.  
  
Senator Tailsman's voice filled the room. "...the campaign toward mutant and human realtions has not met well since a renegade band of mutants attacked a local facility, Icon. Live footage shows a group of seven mutants in the process of freeing experiments and also a clip of one being shot down in the process. At the moment he is under high survellience and refusing to speak...respective motions are being taken to ensure the safety of citizens..."  
  
An image flashed across the screen, showing what appeared to be a man in his late teens, early twenties with dark colored hair and the features of a snake combined into that of a human. Slitted yellow eyes stared out from a scaley face. Dirt, sweat, and blood clutched and streaked down his face.  
  
"Jax." The word was more a whispher then a spoken question.   
  
Russ and Corey both looked up. "What was that?"  
  
Angel sighed and turned. "Nuthin'. Don't concern yourselves with it...I'm going to talk to Rogue a moment. Tara's in the medlab with Hank, Kellie's trying to cook, and Julius' training. Whatever he says ignore it unless it's actually intelligent. See ya."  
  
"See you, Angel,"Russ called, shifting onto the couch and groaning at the pain to his back. He muted the tv as she walked back into the other room. "I think I tore something like a ligament in the spine."  
  
"Aren't you the least bit curious about this mutant that they're using for questioning? Maybe there's something about him we should know...Angel said something." Corey unmuted the tv, listening to more of the senator's rant.   
  
He rolled his eyes then closed them, yawning. "Don't worry about her. She'll be fine and anyway it's not like she plans to do something about it, Corey, leave it alone...Angel's not a dumb person, at least not usually."  
  
"That helps, it really helps. Seems more people than I'd originally thought go alone with this guy...check this out, Russ."  
  
He turned to look at the tv just as a mass scene came onto the screen. Millions of people, teenagers and adults, flocked in the streets. Signs with large logos of respect and alliance to the senator flashed across the screen. Cheering and shouting came from the gathered citizens.  
  
"Can you believe these people? They follow him around like he's a god or something,"Corey said, sitting up and taking a closer look at the tv.  
  
The image on the screen reminded him of his parents. There had been a crowd similiar to the one on television at the mutant riot his parents had taken him to; he'd been into his powers well enough that he could come along rather then sit at home and wonder. He'd walked beside his father, taking in all the signs with anti-mutant logos then he remembered the friends of his father who they'd met. The two men had basically ignored him. He remembered his mother's tense smile when she'd assured him nothing was going to happen; that had been a lie.  
  
Corey remembered the sound of gunshots and screams. His mother's face had lost it's usual color to waxy white as red began to spread over the back of her shirt. His father had caught her just before she fell, ignoring his friends frenzied words about leaving.   
  
His father's words rang in his ears again. "Take Corey and leave. I need to stay with Kate..."he'd said, falling to his knees while still cradling his wife's body in his arms.   
  
He remembered trying to stay with his father but had been pulled away by his father's friends. His mother's voice had stopped him and he'd gone back.   
  
Tears had poured down her pale face when she spoke to him. "I'm sorry. I think I hear God calling me, Corey..."  
  
His mother had died there. Seconds later his father was also dead.  
  
"Corey. Hey, Corey, am I alone in here?" Russ' voice snapped him out of the memory.  
  
"You're always alone. No one else can measure up to you..."  
  
The two laughed at the joke.  
  
"You want to try a little training session?"Russ questioned, rising from the couch and stretching. "For some reason I feel like training right now but not with those damn infuriating robots. Let's play a little one on one."   
  
"Since I can feel my legs? Sure...be warned I'm pretty good at fighting, Russ."  
  
"Wouldn't have asked if you weren't."  
  
DOWN IN THE TRAINING ROOM  
  
Russ slammed his foot as hard as he could into Corey's chest, sending him flying back against one wall. He landed almost gracefully on the floor, fighting to keep his footing.  
  
Corey coughed. "Not...bad. Try to keep from giving me a few broken bones,"he muttered, climbing up and attacking again.   
  
His own fist swung at Russ who ducked only to recieve a swift kick to the stomache. His hand caught onto Corey's shirt, holding himself there as it glowered a dark purple color.  
  
"Uh-oh...I think I made a mistake."  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Russ pulled his hands away. His shirt lost the glow with no affect.  
  
He took a breathe, dropping his hands to his sides. His expression looked beaten and worn; instead of his nineteen years he looked closer to thirty. Sweat poured from his body along with blood that ran down his chin then neck.   
  
"Sometimes I lose control of the ability to keep my powers in check,"he explained, raking his hands through his hair then over his face, smearing blood and sweat. "It's been that way since about a year ago. Things just go awry and sometimes...somtimes I can't stop them."  
  
Corey nodded. "Sounds typical of an our of control mutant."   
  
"Who's out of control?"Russ demanded, glowering at him.  
  
"You, obviously."  
  
"Hey, that's enough! We have a bigger problem then another macho show down."   
  
Kellie crossed the training room in slow strides, keeping her pace slow and her gaze fixed on one of the two every step of the way. She stopped in front of them, took in their appearances, then shook their heads.  
  
"What could be bigger than Russ' problems?" Corey couldn't stop the question.  
  
"Angel and Tara left..."  
  
"Left? What do you mean left?"Russ demanded without preamble, staring at her. "You mean left the mansion to go for a walk?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, Russ, they left. One of the two left a message on an upstairs mirror in lipstick...something about saving a friend."  
  
Russ cursed.   
  
"Watch you language."  
  
"The guy from tv, part of that band of mutants...he looked sort of like a snake at a close glance but Angel seemed to know him. She left a few minutes afterwards. Shit...where's this guy being held, Corey?"  
  
He shrugged in response. "Didn't pay much attention. It would have to be somewhere around Icon...don't tell me we're gallavating off to save some guy we don't know just cause Angel had to go."  
  
"We're not gallavating. If you don't want to come, stay...I'm going and I don't plan to come back unless Angel and Tara are both with me. Come or stay. Your choice; I won't twist your arm,"Russ stated then turned and walked away and out of the control room.  
  
I never asked to join this team but nothing else has ever lasted. Maybe, just maybe, this can actually work without back firing. I'm at least going to try...God pity the one who tries to stop me.  
  
He showered and changed in record time then made his way downstairs, stopping to grab Gage's device. He stared at it a moment then began to press several small, almost hidden buttons. He'd almost programmed in his destination when a hand touched his arm. It was gloved in black.  
  
"You coming or just offering comfort, Kellie?"he asked without bothering to look up.   
  
Hesitance from her. "I'm coming. No one ever cared for me once my powers developed except my brother, two years younger than me. It's time to repay the favor through someone else.."  
  
Russ turned.   
  
Her hand was held out to him.  
  
He shook it, feeling how warm it was despite the glove she wore.  
  
"Welcome to the team, Dust."   
  
UPSTAIRS BEDROOM, GUYS' ROOM TWO   
  
He stared down at the ground, shaking his head.   
  
"Pathetic,"he muttered, turning away and walking back into the bedroom. His voice and expression held scorn. "Like either of you can do any good now. It's too late to save anyone in this world."   
  
His footsteps echoed away from the window and out the door. He stopped to search out something on the wall then pressed a switch down before sliding out the door, pulling it shut in his wake. Silence echoed for a moment once he'd left.  
  
A tiny beeping sound emitted for a moment then stopped all together.   
  
Silence reigned.  
  
"Reality bites...and leaves some pretty nasty marks,"the voice called back, already growing fainter with the forward movements of his feet. 


	12. Friend or Foe? isn't Just about TV anymo...

Rain poured down on top the complex, barring the complete vision of the building from prying eyes. Bars covered windows along with the metal, barb wire at the top fence surrounding the entire complex. Several dark hulking shapes stood like guards outside the largest of the complexs.  
  
"Do you have any idea how crazy you are?"Tara asked, running her hand back through her hair in an attempt to keep it from plastering itsself to her forehead. It worked for a few moments then fell back into place.  
  
Angel shrugged. "Not yet but I'm sure you'll tell me, Tara. How crazy am I?"  
  
"Close to insane except for the fact that we can't put you in a mental institution..."  
  
She laughed, quietly then spat out a mouthful of rain, working at the edge of the fence with a pair of wire cutters she'd stolen from Velicion incase she needed a way to escape military school. She muttered when the blade missed the wire and cut into her finger.  
  
"Don't say it. Help me here..." Angel closed her hand tighter around the slick handles but couldn't get it to cut through again. "Tara!"  
  
"Stop a minute. Someone's here..."  
  
"How would you know that?"  
  
A larger hand closed over the one of hers that was resting against the knitted, tangled area of fence. It held and squeezed, causing a tingling sensation but nothing more. Her hand jerked to pull away.   
  
"With those things it would take you several hours to cut through,"a voice said, drawing her attention to the body attached to the hand that held hers. He brushed her hand aside then his own replaced it, emitting a dark purple glow until the wire began to spread apart into the distance to allow a body through.  
  
"Nice save, Sabbath,"Tara said, giving him an honest smile.  
  
Angel's reaction wasn't so pleasant once she'd slipped through the fence. "What the hell are you doing here, Russ? How'd you even know where I was?"she demanded, crossing her arms to glare at him. She blinked as black smeared her vision.  
  
"Jeez, if this is the reaction we get for helping, count me out." The second voice was dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"And you brought Kellie? I hate you right now...why are you here?"  
  
Russ shrugged, already moving past her and toward the dark complex. His footing slid several times but caught once more after only a few moments. "Friend of a friend?"  
  
Tara sighed,"Are we going to get Jax out or sit here while you complain about the help that we NEED, Angel?"  
  
"Jax?" Kellie's voice.  
  
"Look he's a friend. I couldn't leave him here...trust me and I'll explain things later. Please?"she begged. "I promise to tell the full truth later but now he needs out. There's not much that gets to Jax but he can't stand silence or being alone...silence makes him crazy. Please, help me."  
  
"We're here, aren't we?" Tara.  
  
Kellie closed her hand around the lower edge of one of the windows, running her fingers along the frame, searching for a weak point. She found none except a jagged outreach spot.  
  
Angel nodded, closing her eyes. "Count to six then push in...Dust."  
  
Inside the bolt that had been holding the window slid to the left. Kellie shoved inward then had to catch herself when she almost fell through the large picture window; she smiled in response then slipped through, balancing on top a table.  
  
"Nice. There's a table here...funny place for a table." Her gaze swept the room then her stomache pitched forward. "Oh, God, not here. Not again."  
  
FURTHER INSIDE ICON  
  
"Well if it isn't Experiment 781. I told you she'd come home, Nicolae."   
  
Nicolae Tailsman's head rose from it's position in a record book filled with numbers that would have made anyone else's head spin. His gaze leveled on the computer, scanning the information. Within in moments he'd slammed the book shut and walked over. He peered at the screen and it's images.  
  
"Yes, 781 returned but she's brought others, Chris. Kill of them but don't, I repeat, don't hurt her."  
  
Chris nodded. "Why's 781 so important, Senator?"  
  
"By all rights...I own her,"he replied, staring at the screen.   
  
Four figures shifted and 'danced' across the screen.   
  
"Own her? It's illegal to own people, Senator..."  
  
"Mutants aren't people, Chris, and her parents gave away all rights to her when she was fifteen. Experiment 781 is just that, an experiment; she has no rights. She is simply a possession..."  
  
Nicolae's eyes flashed darker than their usual blue.  
  
THE LAB OF ICON  
  
"What's wrong, Dust? You sound like you've been here before..." Tara stared at her, raising one eybrow and cocking her head to the side in confusion. Her expression was much too open.   
  
"I-I-I have. My parents sent me here once I became a mutant...I haven't seen my family since I was thirteen except for Derek who's been there every time I've escaped."  
  
Angel placed a hand on her arm, obviously feeling her fear. "What happens to mutants here, Dust? You said you escaped..."  
  
Kellie took several breathes and walked around the room. She stopped at a table containing tons of tubes and needles along with blood samples. A large metal and glass machine full of silvery colored liquid stood behind it with a large door; a huge silver padlock gleamed.  
  
"Senator Tailsman believes mutants don't feel anything. He's spent millions since his election hiring scientists to perform experiments...His goal is to prove that mutants don't feel anything that they're simply a defect that has no feelings,"she explained, indicating the machine. "This is what he calls his baby. Dr. Rozen's explained it a few times when he thought we were all drugged. It prays on the fears of mutants and he uses that to destroy them...your friend Jax probaly hasn't been put through yet since it requires a stronger mutant life force then he usually has to survive."  
  
"But how does he use their fears to destroy them if they don't usually survive,"Russ questioned already running his hands along the glass in amazement. His gaze wasn't complete suprise but simply a knowing gleam.  
  
"No, they survive but it takes a strong mutant-usually telepathic or something along those lines-to get the information about their fears. Most telepaths are strong enough to avoid Icon or at least not get caught..." Her voice trailed off when they approached a table that was covered with multi-colored tubes of liquid. Labels stuck to several but most were blank.   
  
"And what's this?"Angel asked, picking up one of the tubes and studying it before putting it back down. Her gaze had darkened to the point of showing almost no emotion.   
  
Kellie closed her eyes and took another breathe. "Another of Tailsman's inventions. He has a way of removing a strand from a telepath's mind...these hold the memories or whatever he wants from a mutant. The labels are codes, mostly unbreakable."  
  
Russ' voice interrupted the explanation. "Guys, we've got a problem."  
  
Three heads turned to him.   
  
"Camera, upper left side, above the window."  
  
Angel hesitated a moment then made her decision. "Go ahead, Tara..."  
  
Tara nodded then flicked out her tongue, jerking once on the camera. It held steadily for only a moment then crashed to the floor. Her tongue came back just seconds before the camera would hit the ground.   
  
"That's different,"Kellie mumbled, making her way toward the dark corridor where a single light glowed from up ahead. "Come on. Let's get your friend and leave. Personally this place creeps me out."  
  
"Amen."  
  
"Thought you weren't religious, Tadpole?" Angel smirked but followed Kellie before her friend could formulate an answer.   
  
Tara rolled her eyes but followed after Angel's footsteps, walking in step with Russ who kept tracing one hand along the wall. He seemed to be searching for something.   
  
What could he be searching for here? The only thing here's mutant haters and their devices... Her gaze roamed the wall, taking in several barely flickering light fixtures that reminded of the plant lights that Allie kept in her greenhouse.  
  
She's always hated the damn greenhouse. It was the type of place that you weren't allowed to go but weren't given a reason for why you couldn't go there.   
  
"Hey, you all right, Tadpole?"Russ asked, glancing sideways after her when she suddenly stopped. "You look almost like a ghost."   
  
Tara smiled, weakly. "I'm not exactly the type of person who goes around breaking into places like this. If you knew me before all this...I was actually a good little kid with a fear of disappointing people. Maybe I should have listened to my foster mother and left Angel Blade alone..."  
  
"Nonsense. If you enjoy the company, keep it." His sentence cut itsself off at the sound of a scream/shriek combination from up ahead. "Dammnit, let's go."  
  
Dammnit, let's go. Nice order.  
  
They rounded the corner of the tunnel and walked straight into an array of fighting people, including Angel and Kellie.  
  
"You couldn't even wait for us to have some fun?"Tara asked, joining in the fray while ignoring Kellie's rolled eyes and Angel's amused expression.  
  
"You didn't exactly expect us to say 'please wait to attack us so our friends can arrive', did you?" Angel laughed and threw one of the guys back against a wall, holding him there with a plant light strapped to his chest. "Oh, you did."  
  
"Sarcasm's not a paying job, Shatter." Russ touched the sword one of the men had been carrying. It glowed purple then plunged itsself into the depth of a barely standing guard nearby.  
  
Several gasps met this along with the sound of someone being sick.  
  
Tara stared at the blood pouring from the gaping sword wound. Her expression was dismay but a strange form of interest. She watched him fall to his knees then pull the sword out. Just when her hand reached forward to touch the cold steel it was jerked back.  
  
"Don't." The words were a command.  
  
Running footsteps drew their attention.  
  
Russ' hand tightened on the sword handle but he jerked his head to the side. "Shatter, go find your friend. Tadpole,Dust, go with her...I need to fix this,"he mumbled, kneeling and checking the pulse on one of the guys.  
  
Kellie nodded and took off with Tara following.   
  
Angel hesitated, feeling something off. Her empathy gave her a feeling of hatred and distrust. She tried to read more but found it blocked by a brick wall that was so strong it was almost physical; it held fast, pushing her away.  
  
"Leave it alone and get out of here, Angel,"he stated with a cold edge to his voice. "There's nothing you can do."  
  
"Sabbath."  
  
"Leave."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Footsteps drew their attention. Russ cursed but knelt, retrieving a knife from the body of a downed guard; his hand fumbled through one of his pockets then produced a black and gold circle with several buttons.  
  
"What are you doing?"she demanded again, staring at the item.  
  
Russ caught her wrist in a vise-like grip, pressing the knife into the inner part of her wrist and pulling upward, slowly. It cut into her skin, leaving a long bloody mark.  
  
"Don't say anything and don't move...we're about to play a game of pretend,"he said, typing in something on the circle item then looking up just as several figures appeared. He raised the object. "Russ Collins, Section 7 Extension 308, Middle Level Worker."  
  
Angel opened her mouth but her words were cut off by the knife digging even further into her arm. She bit down on her lip, feeling the warm blood gathering.  
  
"This mutant snuck in, trying to release some prisoners."  
  
"One mutant did all this?"an older man asked, skeptically. "Sure. Extension 308 was exiled months ago."  
  
"It was reinstated. Yes, one mutant...she's very powerful."  
  
Angel glared at him. "You son of a bitch."  
  
FURTHER AHEAD IN THE TUNNEL  
  
"Since when did this place get so big?" Kellie slid through a doorway then waited for Tara and Angel.   
  
Tara rubbed her aching neck then looked around the room. "Holy shit, this is where they keep mutants? It looks like a zoo..."  
  
Large steel cages lined the room along with machines that whirred and buzzed. Tubes came from several tables within cages where immobilized bodies laid. White floors, walls, and ceilings gleamed brightly against the metal machines.  
  
"Where's Angel, Tara?"  
  
She looked around. "Probaly stopped to help Sabath. She doesn't listen well...so this is the holding docks?"  
  
Kellie shook her head. "This would be where the average mutants are, anyone who's simply a prisoner or sold to them is here. Whoever we're looking for would be further up thanks to the fact that they can supply information..."  
  
"Jax isn't going to give them much. None of the others would either...it's part of the policy to become a mercenary. Intensive training with a lot of bloodshed." She cut off, following Kellie and trying to ignore the pleading and 'dead' eyes of the prisoners. Her vision blurred slightly with unshed tears but she blinked them away.  
  
"Maybe it's a good thing she skipped out. Things might not work with her empathy..."  
  
Kellie closed her hand around the knob then pressed inward, stepping into a giant room. It was dark colored with no windows or lights except for a single glowing pale green light on each sight. Blood stained the wall and spread across the floor in an arch like a giant bird trying to escape.   
  
"Bring back memories?"  
  
Kellie's stomache pitched forward against, almost forcing her to her knees. She clutched her stomache, leaning against a wall for suppourt.  
  
"Millions. I'd rather forget most of them,"she whisphered, peering into the dark interior. "Especially this room. I'd bet anything at least some part of this blood..belonged to me." 


	13. Comparison of Past and Present

"Logan, mon ami, why y'keep watching dat monitor?" Remy Lebeau or Gambit to his deceased teammates and those who didn't know him well. His red on black gaze focused on the monitor in front of him. It resembled a large television with diffrent colored, shaded shapes on it. One color was plant life. Another human life-none at the moment. One of metal. One for anything else, including machines.  
  
Logan shrugged. "Waiting for someone to deliver the kids in body bags?"he replied with the barest hint of sarcasm. His voice was almost serious.   
  
"Do y'really have so little faith in de chil'ren, mon ami?"   
  
"Less, Cajun, a lot less." He changed the view without looking away from the screen. His attention held to the shifting shadows of trees and growth. "They scewed up a grade A mission, nearly killing themselves."  
  
"Dey be young, Logan. What was y'first mission like?" Remy shuffled a deck of cards, stopping at random intervals to tap one against the desktop.  
  
Logan glowered at him. "That's not your business, Cajun. And you have faith in them? I thought you were ashamed of them..."  
  
"Oui. Dat was simple...dis be harder and dey doin' it of dere own will."   
  
"There isn't much of a diffrence. I could care less if they get themselves killed...we found this group. We'll find another group, a better group." He returned to the monitor, ignoring anything further that could be said.  
  
Remy tried.   
  
Remy Lebeau hesitated only a moment then walked out of the control room. His attention went straight to the figure sitting against one wall outside, listening. His head was bowed foreward in a submissive position. His hands both rested on top his head and he mumbld to himself, quietly.   
  
"Dat somet'ing else 'bout dis century? Eve'yone talks to demselves?"he questioned, standing over the boy and looking down.  
  
Corey lifted his head, meeting Remy's gaze head-on. "Sorry things aren't perfect like your time. Was there free candy and happy kids then?"he asked, darkly, glowering up at Remy.  
  
Dese kids be havin' serious attitude problems. If Remy'd spoken that way to his elders he'd been in a swamp'of pain faster then he could think of his brother's name.  
  
"Watch how y'talk to y'elders, Corey. Why didn't y'go wit' de ot'ers?"he asked, leaning against the wall beside the boy. He continued the shuffling of his cards, listening to the low humming sound they made as loose energy passed through them.  
  
Corey laughed. "Why should I save some guy I don't even know? Let them worry with him..."  
  
"Dat's not part of de team. Y'help each ot'er, y'don't abandon one anot'er,"he said as if reading the boy's mind. It wasn't a hard thing judging by his words or the emotions he could feel. His empathy gave him a lot of self hatred and guilt. Anger, too.  
  
"Yeah, right. Let me guess...the X-Men never had problems, right? You guys did everything for one another. No one ever abandoned anyone. That was thirty or forty years ago...things change, Gambit. You either learn to take care of yourself and screw everyone else or you die for someone else that doesn't even care about you." He stood, starting to walk away.  
  
Remy reacted without thinking. He grabbed the boy's collar and slammed him against the wall, holding him there with one arm against his pale throat. "Don't ever say de X-men never abandoned no one. Dey left me in Anarctica because of a sin Remy committed even before he knew de X-men...it was my punishment. It's still my punishment to suffer for lovin' de Untouchable. Dey abandoned each ot'er because dey needed to...y'don't. Dese people care for y'realize what y'have den y'can try and measure up to de X-Men."  
  
Remy Lebeau released him and walked away. His footsteps echoed for a long time. He barely did more then nod to Rogue when he passed her in the hallways. His one goal was the danger room. Old hatred had come up and he wouldn't hurt anyone here or force himself through it again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Tell me when you feel anything, okay, Kellie?"  
  
Fifteen-year-old Kellie Senthesis nodded her head, tightening her hands into fists. Both palms of her hands were bloody and scarred by her own nails. Several of them had broken off and now had embedded themselves into her hands. Her hair was still long and fell to her chin. The dark black color clung damply to her neck. Sweatpants and a tank top clung to her body from sweating.  
  
"Anything at all. Ready?"  
  
She nodded again.  
  
Pain raced through her head then the rest of her. She gasped and fell to her knees, holding her head in both hands. Her hands knotted in the thick hair then lay lifeless and dull once the machine shut off.   
  
For a long time no one moved. Nicolae and his doctor waited for the expriment to finish itself while Kellie continued to face violent shudders. Tears that were a mixture of blood and water fell from her face onto the ground.  
  
"Does that mean you felt something, Kellie?"Nicolae asked, keeping his voice at a conversational tone. His gaze hadn't wavered from her bowed form.  
  
Kellie took a breathe and managed to move back onto her knees but couldn't find the ability to stand. Shudders passed through her body every few moments. Goosebumps clung to her skin and sweat had formed along her forehead.  
  
"Are you up to trying a second experiment?"  
  
Chris spoke instead of the fifteen-year-old. "It's too risky, Nicolae. She's in pain...we'll pick up tomorrow."  
  
He nodded. "Tomorrow."  
  
TOMORROW  
  
"Experiment 781 has proven your theory wrong, Nicolae. She feels things...in conclusion, all mutants have to feel something rather then being emotionless as you defined them. It's just not,"Chris said while reviewing the strands he'd taken from the experiment's drug-enduced sleep.   
  
He clicked several keys then enlarged a strand of DNA.   
  
"What's that?"Nicolae asked.  
  
"A sample of Experiment 781's blood. It was scraped from one of the walls; however, it shows up diffrentely then normal blood."  
  
Nicolae moved to look. "How so?"   
  
"There's a gray tint as if there's something else in it. I've noticed it in a few of the other mutants we have's blood...we haven't figured out what it is except that it holds to them,"Chris explained, turning away from that machine to look in on the room below them. Large plastic glass windows, the cheap kind that wouldn't break, embedded to the room on all sides looked down on a white hospital room.  
  
Experiment 781, previously known as Kellie Senthesis, laid on one of the beds, motionless. A large, white, blood-stained bandage was pressed to one side of her head. A natural contrast with her dark skin. Blood streamed down her arms in long streams, soaking into the white sheet over her almost naked body. The once long hair was now cut short and stringy with sweat and blood that remained.   
  
"Have you tried inserting it into a human?"  
  
"Too dangerous. If the dog couldn't survive with this...mutant DNA there's no way a human can. Dogs have almost perfect immune systems; this thing would kill a human."  
  
"You'll never know until you try, will you?"he demanded then continued before an answer could be formulated. "I want it tested. Now. If you need to take a larger amount of blood...do it."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Kellie Senthesis closed her eyes against the pain that threatened to resurface. Her body felt the pain of four years ago and responded. Tremors ran down her back as she was brought to her knees by pain. Dots of red and black swam before her eyes.   
  
"What's wrong? Kellie...Kellie!" Tara's voice barely reached her ears. "Kellie, listen to me. It's not real...nothing you're feeling is real."  
  
As if the words held some form of power the pain vanished then the dots. Her eyes registered the fact that she was kneeling directly over the blood-drawn bird. Her knees were pressed against the dried blood and concrete floor; her hands were clasped in front of her in a prayerful position.  
  
"Are you with me now?" Tara helped her to stand and supported her wait until she could stand on her own.   
  
Kellie nodded, wiping sweat from her forehead.   
  
I can do this. This isn't about me or what happened...we came to save Jax. That's what we'll do. We're going to save Jax and then I'll never have to see this place again.  
  
She repeated the words over and over in a monotone in her head.   
  
"How do we get into the room where Jax is? How do we even know where he is?"  
  
"Gimme a minute. I need to think,"she repeated, running her hand along the wall and around a torch that lit one wall. Her fingers came into contact with cold stone and sticky glue. She felt a moment longer then closed her hand around an object, jerking. Her hand came away holding a black casing.  
  
Tara studied it with her head tilted.   
  
Kellie reached her hand back around and felt over the keys, pressing several then placing her thumb against a small area that was clear except several dots. Her expression turned thoughtful for a moment but a beep echoed then part of a wall slid inward and to the side.  
  
"What's that?"Tara demanded, staring at where the wall had once been. Empty space glittered within along with a glint of metal.  
  
She shook her head to show it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for getting Jax out and finding Russ and Angel then leaving.   
  
I'll never see this place again. I'll never see this place again. I'll never see this place again. The chant continued to repeat over and over but she ignored it and enetered the room.  
  
Jax wasn't hard to find. His hands were chained at opposite sides of the room to poles; the remains of the chain laid on the floor around him. A mixture of blood and water ran down his arms and fell to the floor every few moments from the spikes driven almost into his wrists. Sweat streamed down his face. His expression showed no sign of any pain just a blank expression.  
  
Kellie shuddered, remembering something she'd overheard Rogue and Logan saying about Angel.   
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Her file and she herself says that she was trained against her empathy by her Uncle's mercenary band."  
  
Logan nodded. "So she doesn't feel anything?"  
  
"That's our guess, Logan. She doesn't react to pain, at least not physical pain...mental could be a diffrent story." Rogue slid a file to him.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"Jax?" Tara had moved from beside her over to him. Her hand was hesitant but she slowly touched his face.  
  
His eyes slitted open. They were yellow and in the perfect slits of a snake.  
  
"Hello,"he answered with a raspy hiss so much like a snake it was terrifying. "Where's Angel? She told me you were coming."  
  
"Told you?"Kellie questioned, following Tara's lead and beginning to work on the chains.   
  
Jax touched the side of one eye, indicating something.  
  
Note to self-Remind Angel about the dangers of using telekenesis here.  
  
"Where is she?" Jax's voice was demanding now.  
  
Tara shrugged, working at the cuffs encircling his wrists. Her gaze never moved from them but rather stayed in one spot. "She had to help a friend, Jax."  
  
His laugh was hoarse and skeptical. "Angel doesn't have friends, child. She wouldn't take the risk..."  
  
"This isn't small talk, Jax, and just so you know-she does have friends. More than I can say for you at this moment,"she answered, finally getting one of the cuffs undone. It fell from his wrists and almost instantly he struck forward, throwing her away from him. A few moments of frenzied work broke through the second cuff he was free.  
  
Jax pulled the hood that had been hanging around his neck up and over his head so only yellow slitted snake eyes showed. His persona froze.  
  
He hissed, quietly. "Someone's coming."  
  
Neither questioned how he knew yet both tensed, waiting.   
  
Several men entered. Each held what appeared to be a large gun except that small darts lined the inside in an oval shape; they paused just inside the doorway. Their attention barely wavered from the empty space between the two pillars where there prey had lain.  
  
"Dammnit, Nicolae will have our heads,"one growled, shifting his weapon. His gaze swept the room.  
  
Jax appeared behind one. "Or I will." His voice was mocking. He hesitated only a moment before grabbing the guy and sinking his teeth into the man's throat. He held him for several moments then shoved him away into one of the walls.   
  
The man broke out sweating and began to pant as if he couldn't breathe. Goosebumps broke out across the surface of his arms, face, and neck. His body convulsed for a moment then fell limp. He didn't move except a slight tremor every few seconds.   
  
Tara stared in muted fascination. His skin had taken on a waxy white look from Jax's bite. She swallowed, staring at him in wonder and fear.   
  
"Get out, both of you." Jax spoke the command seconds before burying his fangs into the neck of the next guard who had just pierced the wall with one of his darts. It had hit then fallen to the ground, limply.   
  
Kellie nodded then removed one glove, beginning to make her way out of the room.  
  
Tara hesitated, still drawn to the sight of the dead body.  
  
"NOW!" Jax hissed at her.  
  
She bolted from the room, jumping to get away. Her hands shook while they made their escape; they didn't run into much trouble except a few guards. Between the two of them they managed to return to the lab.   
  
"The window." Kellie scrambled on top the table, struggling to force the latch free of the window. It refused to move. "Tadpole, help me."  
  
She wrapped her tongue around the latch and yanked, pulling to no avail. It remained steadfastly closed. Her foot hit against several glass samples of DNA that fell to the ground and shattered.  
  
"Why won't it open, Dust?"  
  
Kellie felt real fear for a moment. Her stomache clenched tightly inside her body; her legs gave out and she sat on the edge of the table.  
  
"They know I'm back and don't plan to let me leave. I'll never leave here...they won't let me. In every way that matters, I belong to them." Her sentence trailed off into silence except footsteps on the hard metal stairs.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That's it for now. I'd like to have reviewer input on this story...anyone that reads this could you please leave a review, telling how you like it and any possible ideas for me? Something you don't like? Let me know and thanks for reading. Be patient for the next chapter. 


	14. The GREAT Escape

"It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all."  
  
The words drifted from further up the cell block as Russ Collins made his way toward the holding docks. He slid the item in his hand into his back pocket before he reached the cell.   
  
"Would you please stop singing, Angel?"he demanded, stopping beside the cell and looking in.  
  
Angel hadn't moved in over ten minutes except her mouth. Her legs were stretched out before her and her arms crossed over her chest despite the makeshift bandage over her arm. Her eyes were closed; her hair lay spread around her head but she didn't move at all except to sing some more.  
  
"Or maybe it's not such a small world after all. Hello, Russ."  
  
"Do you have to sing everything? I'm working on getting you out, okay?"  
  
She shook her head the barest amount then opened her eyes, never looking away from the ceiling. "What I'm still thinking about is this...I can't believe you actually cut me."  
  
"I didn't cut you...the knife did. I thought we'd agreed it was a game or pretend?"he asked, crouching as if to place something down. He watched her for any further movement. There was none, not even her lips moved. "Angel!"  
  
"Angel's not in right now. Please leave a message after the beep. BEEP." Her voice was devoid of emotion but when her voice echoed in his mind it was quiet and even spoken with just a touch of emotion. ~Do what you have to, Russ. Get me out of here...please.~  
  
~I'm trying. Don't use this here, Angel, they have sensors.~   
  
The connection broke instantly but Angel met his eyes and gave his a weak smile before returning to her previous position. She began to hum once more.  
  
He slipped his hand into his pocket and removed the teleporter he'd been hiding since he'd joined the X-men. He touched the metal of the bars and forced it apart just enough to slide the thing under. He pushed it forward and it hit Angel's side.  
  
"It's a small world after all.."  
  
Russ looked up and noticed a guard coming toward him. "Angel, keep singing but slip it on your wrist. Count to ten then press a few buttons until a picture of the mansion comes up. When it does hit the gray button...when you get there be careful. It'll throw your powers off."  
  
Angel gave no indication to having heard him except to slip the teleporter onto one wrist without opening her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing down here?"the guard demanded, holding his gun tighter and leveling it on Russ' chest. His face had been painted a combination of dark green and black along with Camouflage and combat boots. "Civilians aren't allowed down here."  
  
"I'm not a civilian, sir." He held out his identification badge, pressing to the button to return his I.D. "I'll let you know if I see any. I needed to place an identification bracelet on the newest mutant..."  
  
The guard looked beyond him. "The singing one?"  
  
"Yeah, she's a bit of a schitzophrenic..." Russ glanced over his shoulder and shook his head, sadly. "Pity, really."  
  
"Not really. Mutants feel nothing, therefore they are nothing. Did Nicolae okay your access to the prisoner?"  
  
He clenched his hand into a fist to keep from hitting the guard. His analogy was not true. Mutants felt just like people, maybe strongers.   
  
"I'm here, aren't I?"he demanded, glaring at the other man. They were equal heigth so it wasn't easy to stare each other down.  
  
The guard moved first to take hold of one of Russ' arms then pull him toward the stairs, never removing his gun from it's position. He gave no response except to speak quietly into a radio.  
  
Russ looked back once just in time to see the familiar haze of gray smoke before he was led out of the room. At least now everyone's out except for me...I can take care of myself...  
  
ICON'S INNER LAB  
  
"Maybe we can find a way out. Come on, Dust..." Tara Toynbee hopped down from the table and walked around the room, checking for any way out. Her hands ran along the wall while her eyes frantically scanned the ceiling.  
  
It caught her attention fast. The air dock above her head. "Dust, where's that thing lead?"she asked, making a point to raise her voice enough to be heard.  
  
Kellie voice when she spoke hadn't taken on much emotion of any sort or even lose feeling. "Anywhere you want to go. The vents all eventually lead outside or down to the mutant holding docks....if you go right you'll find the holding docks. Left would lead outside then."  
  
Color sparked back into her eyes and she climbed down from the table, walking over to stand beside Tara. She tipped her head back and stared up at the vent, thinking; it wouldn't be an easy task.  
  
"So this thing can get us outside?"  
  
Kellie hesitated. "Yes and No."  
  
"Both...wanna explain?"Tara questioned, wrapping her tongue around the edge and pulling until there finally came a loud groan. The vent crashed to the floor; it clanged loudly against pure concrete.  
  
Kellie tossed her several items which she stacked in a row. The last item she recieved was a plant, the strangest one of all. She began to explain her answer. "The vents go both to the mutant holding docks and outside. I probably couldn't even tell you the directions anymore..."  
  
"Who cares? It's the best shot we got unless you want to be another science experiment...do you?"  
  
"Not really...go ahead and climb, Tadpole. I'll be up in just a moment." She hesitated at the bottom, watching the younger girl climb until she'd vanished into the vent. She walked over to the table and slid one arm across, knocking all the samples of mutant DNA onto the floor. They spilt, creating a colorful, DNA sunburst.  
  
"Dust!"  
  
Kellie smiled then leaped onto the top of the stack and caught Tara's hand, pulling herself through. She stopped for a moment to toss her gloves down then run her hands along the green plant until it began to flake and turn into ashes.  
  
For all the hell I've suffered I'll leave a little calling card, she thought. Her hands shook slightly as she shoved downward, toppling the stack just as several locks slid further up the stairs. One major problem to having such a large, locked establishment meant there were a lot of security to pass through in order to enter any zone.  
  
"Nice touch. Would you like to come on so we can get out of here? Angel and Russ are probably back at the mansion by now." Tara's voice was further ahead.  
  
Kellie crawled along after her, stopping to check then following several different paths until another vent rose up in front of them. She kicked at it for a moment then groaned when it wouldn't move.  
  
"Allow me.." Tara moved past her and kicked the screen, yelping at the pain that it shot through her leg. She pulled back. "Didn't work.."  
  
Hesitance a moment then something ripped the vent from it's place. It tumbled to the ground, making a quiet thump upon ground contact. Several shadows shifted then slid further into the surrounding woods, vanishing from sight.  
  
"Wow...that was a little, uh, strange."  
  
"Who cares, Tadpole? I know you're going to love this part...Jump!"  
  
Tara smiled then leaped to the ground below, landing on her feet just beside a large sticker bush. She waited.   
  
I'm going to regret this. I really, really am, Kellie thought but scooted along to the edge and stood. Her vision blurred at how far from the ground the vent really was.  
  
"Uh...."  
  
"Jump!"  
  
She said a quick prayer before jumping. In the next moment she had landed on her back and was staring up at Tara's face; she coughed and choked, trying to draw in breath. Her breath returned slowly, forcing her to wince every time she drew one in.  
  
"You gonna live?"Tara questioned, holding out one hand.  
  
She forced herself to take it and get up then grimaced at the feel of pain in her legs. "Ah, maybe..I'm not sure. Let's go before these fools come again. You know, Tadpole, you ain't half bad."  
  
"Thanks. You're not that bad either, Dust. A little orthidox but hey, who isn't?"  
  
Two figures ran toward the woods then vanished. into the woods surrounding the property. They paused for a single moment once they were hidden in the woods then ran, carshing through the woods. Several times branches and thorns tore at their clothes and skin but they pushed on. Moonlight shone down over the lake, illumiating two faces.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
OUTSIDE THE MANSION  
  
Angel looked up at the large iron gates then at the item on her wrist. It had stopped glowing and the image of the mansion had vanished. Silence echoed around her except for the scrape of a stick against iron.  
  
A stick against iron?  
  
She turned, staring out across the expansion of the fence but even before she saw the person she felt it. They were happy, almost jubilant. Strange and foreign to her since she'd been trained well enough to block most emotions. Happiness was one emotion she rarely had ever felt except for when she was around her family then occassionally she felt it from the original X-Men.  
  
It was never this strong.  
  
A smile broke out across Angel's face. She looked around a moment then forced the lock on the gate to break apart; she slid through the opening then fastened it back.   
  
No lights shone in the mansion. Black clung to it like a cloak, illuminating the structures of the house. Nothing moved in the shadows or within the house.  
  
Everything's great. We're all home and nothing else could happen to us right now.   
  
She ran toward the other section of the gate but halfway through the run she stopped and turned several flips, finally landing on her feet. It was strange since she'd never had any training with it except for a little of practice with Gambit once. The practice had yielded nothing except a lot of bruises and a frustrated cajun.  
  
Her behavior continued for a moment. Running. Flips. Cartwheels. Shouting. More flips. She barely noticed when Kellie and Tara approached. Neither appeared quite as jubilant as she felt.  
  
"Hey, glad to see you're back!"Angel called, swinging upside down from the tree she'd just climbed. Blood had begun rushing downward to her head. "Everything go alright?"  
  
Tara stared at her through the gate. "Angel, is something wrong? You don't seem like yourself..."  
  
She dropped to the ground suddenly, curling up against the tree trunk. She drew her knees against her chest and rested her chin on them, looking like a scared child rather than her usual self.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
Worry passed over her in waves, forcing her to draw further into herself. Another emotion, lighter passed for a moment then the strangest thing happened a small sense of anger washed over her.  
  
"Do you kids have any idea how much trouble you're in?" Julius' voice echoed out of the darkness. After a moment his face appeared from the front porch of the institute. "Logan's pissed..."  
  
"Let him be...Angel!" Kellie crouched beside Angel, looking her over.  
  
"Don't touch me,"she commanded, drawing further away. Her hands went to the object still around her wrist, clawing slightly at it but it wouldn't come off.  
  
"Oh for hell's sake,"Julius muttered, making his way out to them and jerking the thing from her wrist. It slid forward, earning a slight hiss of pain from Angel but the instant it was off her expression cleared. "Was that really difficult?" He tossed the bracelet. It froze in midair, hovering.  
  
Angel jumped up and caught it, holding it tightly in one hand before slipping it into her back pockets. "I'll give it back later. Come on, let's go deal with Logan,"she said, walking beside Julius back inside.   
  
Tara and Kellie followed.  
  
Logan met them on the porch, wearing a frown and chewing on the end of a cigar. "Do you have any idea how much trouble y'all are in. Especially you, darling." He looked straight at Angel. "Where's the other kid?"  
  
"Not sure...he'll be along later, though. I wouldn't worry about Russ if I were you..." She smirked, ignoring the others confused expressions and Julius' raised eyebrow. "What are we in trouble for...?" 


	15. Judge and Jury of a Perfect World

"What are you in trouble for...? WHAT ARE YOU IN TROUBLE FOR?!" Logan's voice took on a darker tone along with his expression turning fierce. His eyes narrowed and he looked ready to strangle the next one to say a word.  
  
Rogue intervented. "Logan, sugah, maybe we should let them come inside. They've been gone for a few hours...rest might be good for 'em,"she said, leaving no room for argument from any of the parties involved. She stepped around Logan with ease then pushed him and the door aside. "Come in."  
  
Tara had a feeling Logan was not pleased with them. His expression said it all especially when combined with the cold, dark mansion air; the only light came from the candle Rogue held. It was solid black with streams of wax sliding down its length.  
  
"Rogue.." His voice took on a warning tone but she met it head on.  
  
"Don't start. Julius, take Angel, Tara, and Kellie to the front room.Corey's waiting...I'm sure he'll be overjoyed to know that y'all are alright."  
  
Snorts of laughter from the three girls. Angel recovered the quickest, casting a smile at the former X-woman before linking one of her arms with Julius; she smirked. "Lead the way, sweetheart."  
  
Julius raised an eyebrow before pulling his arm away and walking off. Kellie followed, muttering something to Angel. Tara held back, stopping just inside the doorway to listen.  
  
"What's wrong with you, Rogue? They left without leaving a message to anyone or even telling anyone what was going on. Angel's the problem...it was her friend, her idea, and her plan that screwed up and has one kid lost God knows where!"  
  
"Russ isn't lost. He stayed behind to take care of the others...why do you have such a problem accepting that for once they were in the right, in the wrong way? Yeah, they ran off. Yeah, they were stupid and almost got themselves killed but, Logan, they worked as a team!" Rogue's voice was as angry as his but there was a note of pride.  
  
Tara grimaced at the note of challenge in their voices. It reminded her too much of people from her childhood. People had always yelled, argued, or hated each other the length of time she was around; that was the reason for her distancing herself from them.  
  
"A team doesn't work when there's no trust. I don't even know why Kellie and Russ went to help.."  
  
Rogue's voice broke into his, stronger. "I think Angel's planning to tell us the entire story if you would stop fighting about whether they were right or wrong. They're waiting, Logan."  
  
Silence.   
  
She used the silence to escape through the rooms and into the living room with the others. She placed a finger against her lips at the questioning looks from her aquantiances and friend. Kellie looked ready to question but Logan's footsteps silenced her words before they were spoken.  
  
"Sit,"he commanded upon entry, motioning to several scattered bits of furniture. Julius sat on one of the couches, leaning back and propping his feet on the table. Angel flopped down beside him and stared up at the ceiling. Tara settled onto the end of a table while Kellie sat in one of the chairs. "Wanna explain a few things, Angel?"  
  
"I don't think I have a choice. The guy we went to save was a member of my uncles'...group. He's also one of the ones who helped train me against my powers. His name's Jax. I've known him since I was thirteen; he was sixteen and helped a lot. Please don't be mad but he needed me. I couldn't abandon him,"she said without rising from the couch. Her eyes never left the ceiling. "Uncle Vel's group has always taken care of me. I was repaying a favor."  
  
Julius laughed. "Some favor. Did the guy even thank you or anything?"he asked, making a point to move so he blocked her view of the ceiling. He stared down at her. She moved away and got up, pacing.  
  
"It's not their way, Kanteon. He wouldn't thank us and he wouldn't accept the fact that a group of seventeen and nineteen year olds saved his life...just shut up." She bit her lip, pausing and staring ahead out a window. "I have another confession. When Jax tells Vel about...this, he'll take me out. He's overprotective and seems to think I'm too young to make any diffrence other than cause him problems with the senator."  
  
Tara recognized the note of bitterness in her voice. It was her friend's curse to bear-the acceptance of a real family could never be faked by an aunt and uncle. Another thing in their relationship that was usually avoided.  
  
Like you have a perfect home life, Tara?an inner voice mocked, drawing her eyes to the floor and her Trainers. Not in the least. My parents didn't want me and neither have any of my foster parents.  
  
Logan nodded, briefly then settled his gaze on Tara. "What's your excuse?"  
  
"I was helping a friend. She needed it and so did Jax..."  
  
"Kellie?"  
  
She shrugged, raising one hand to brush some wet pink hair from her eyes. She slid it behind her ear then simply shook her head. "I don't have an excuse,"she stated, quietly. "I did what was right. I'm sorry you can't deal with it."  
  
"Can't deal with it?"  
  
Rogue stiffled laughter by coughing into her hand. "Upstairs all of you. In the morning things will be diffrent...I'm sure Russ'll be back and Logan will have calmed down."  
  
"Night, Rogue. Good-night, Logan."  
  
JANUARY 19, 2005  
  
"Would you like some more tea?" Julius indicated the teapot he held in one hand. A bright pink apron was worn over his clothes. He looked-in truth-quite ridiculous. Boots, a trenchcoat, and a frilly pink apron were not a good match.  
  
Angel raised an eyebrow, looking up from the book spread on the table before her. Her forehead knit together in several lines. "Did something happen to him last night?"she questioned, voicing the question to Kellie who looked rather smug.  
  
She shrugged. "How would I know? Yes, Julius..."  
  
He poured some tea into the mug then placed it back on the counter.   
  
I think this is why Hank's not allowed to have human test subjects. Angel returned to her book and flipped several pages, reading quicker than was healthy. She barely listened to the exchanges between her teammates but Hank and Gambit's arrival cut it off.  
  
"Y'did what, mon ami?"  
  
"It was a simply experiment. Obviously it worked. Logan said to do it..." Hank shrugged like it was natural then got his food out of the fridgerator. He began to eat without another word.  
  
"Take if off, mon ami."  
  
"Can't. Not unless Logan tells me so..."  
  
"HANK!"  
  
"Working on it..."  
  
5:21 P.M.  
  
"You altered my MIND?!" Julius' angry voice split the air, drawing four oblivious stares. His expression darkened to anger while he tightened his crossed arms. "To be a nice guy and serve tea?"  
  
Hank nodded. "It was an experiment. I asked Logan for a volunteer and he gave me your name....it was a minor infragment with my having to come to you while you were asleep. Otherwise, it wouldn't have worked so well."  
  
"I can't believe you bastards. You preach trust and honesty then pull this?"he demanded, turning on his heel and stomping out. His footsteps echoed back but he made no point to soften them. "Damn, hypocritical bastards...trust each other. Be a team. Yeah, right. Hypocrites."  
  
"Do you always have to seeing the worst in everything?"Russ' voice came from right at his side.   
  
Julius hadn't heard him approach but hated being snuck up on. He turned, pinning the other boy with a glare. "What the hell would you know about how I see things?"  
  
Russ laughed. "It's not hard. The world's your playground and you get to play God...sorry, Julius, but the world doesn't run that way. There are those better, stronger than you. Being a team's about working togher; you fail in that department."  
  
"Like you're a master of teamwork?"he asked, forcing his voice to sound more mocking. "Nice trademark you left on Angel's arm and what about abandoning Tara and Kellie."  
  
"At least I was there for any length of time and you don't care about any of them."  
  
"Damn right I don't. None of them have done anything for me nor will they ever,"he stated without looking away from Russ. "I've always taken care of myself and I always will."  
  
"Then you're a bigger fool then I thought." Russ turned to walk away.  
  
No one calls me a fool. No one.   
  
"I guess it's easier to be judge and jury when your family's so perfect, huh, Sabbath?"he demanded, glowering. Several nearby trees bent forward to the ground then snapped. The gates rattled as wind tore at them.   
  
He turned back. "My family isn't perfect. My father let these people take me away without a second glance...I can barely remember my mother. She disappeared when I was still young. Don't talk to me about perfect. You're not that hard to judge, Julius Augustus Kanteon."  
  
Julius tightened his hand into a fist. "You have quite a mouth on you, Sabbath. Let's see how you actually hold up in battle...I'll even let you draw first blood. No powers."  
  
Russ smirked. "Don't need them. About time someone did,"he said before slamming his fist as hard as he could into Julius' jaw. Something similar to a pop came followed shortly by a hiss of slight pain. It wasn't much but enough.  
  
The son of a bitch hit me. The words had barely registered within his mind before he returned the favor, driving his fist into Russ' stomache, hard. Their fight continued for a long time, kicking and punching each other without the use of their powers. Blood and sweat ran down both their bodies and joined the dust on the ground. Julius slammed his fist as hard as he could into Russ' jaw, listening with satisfaction to the sound of something snapping.   
  
"That's enough, both of you!" Logan appeared from nowhere and worked to seperate them. He shoved the two apart. Almost instantly Russ sobered and wiped blood from his lip. He glared at Julius but kept his mouth shut, holding in his anger. Julius didn't go so quietly. He fought against Logan, hitting him only once before he found himself slammed against a wall.  
  
"That's enough. Was that little macho shoving match worth it?"  
  
"Damn worth it,"he answered, swiping at the blood running down his face and onto his neck. He pushed Logan away. "Get off. He's not worth it. Let me go..."  
  
Logan released him. "Go to the medlab, both of you. One more fight and I swear I'll make Hank use his device to convince you that you're seven-year-olds. Tara will braid your hair and Angel will buy you both barbies, understood...?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Go."  
  
Russ walkd away first, making his way inside with only two backward glances. After a few moments Julius followed, making a point to keep distance between them.  
  
"This isn't over."  
  
"Good. Someone needs to take you down a few pegs..."  
  
Their eyes met and held in silent challenge before they entered the medlab.  
  
Short chapter but...it's a chapter. It's not much to the plot except characters behavior together. Things will calm down some but there's several events about to happen that are strange. One includes a 'relationship' if you could call it that. Things shall calm down and expect another...wait don't expect another chapter just wait. Thanks. 


	16. Southern Comfort and Canadian Pride

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men or anything related to them. The unrecognizable characters are my property except Tara(Takamo)and Julius(Pyromaniac666). In no way do I own Southern Comfort(the song or the alcohol) or Canadian Pride fireworks.  
  
Linkstar: There's no real romance but there is a relationship with the sole purpose of 'worldly pleasure'. It's not descriptive, love-related, or even much point except to show other types of interaction but the relation has nothing to do with love.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"That doesn't look edible, Remy. It's kind of scary-lookin'..." Angel stared at the pot of simmering food as it rested on top the table. She held a book propped against her legs but her full attention was on what would be their dinner.  
  
Remy ignored her. "Gumbo's good, cher."  
  
She stuck her tongue out then propped her book back in front of her face. "I'll stick with peanut butter, dear heart. That looks like...an abomination,"she told him, grimacing at a loud pop from the pot.  
  
"Has anyone seen Julius?"Corey questioned, coming into the kitchen. His wet hair stuck out in just about every direction since he and Russ had finished their training session with Logan. It had been going on for two hours; it was meant to be a punishment but they made it a game. Logan hated it.  
  
"His room. He needed some 'rest after the trying events of dealing with children',"Russ put in without looking away from where he was trying to put together a model car; a chevelle. It was yet another of Logan's tests. They each had model cars to put together, paint, and leave for his 'examination'.   
  
Tara had done hers, painting it green then helped Angel whose car was shadowy gray with a giant black no sign across the front. Corey and Kellie had completed theirs by painting them orange and black. Russ was still working on his while Julius' was scattered along the kitchen in bits and pieces.  
  
"Either that or he got mad because a model car beat him,"Angel muttered, leaning back against a cabinet to read. "Has Logan told you the point of this little 'activity'? It's stupid because what can we possibly learn from building model cars."  
  
"Leadership."  
  
"Thank you, Russ. You're becoming a great leader if you don't count cutting people or stabbing them." She smiled, sweetly. Her hand touched her arm where it had already begun to heal faster than normal because of some pill that Remy had given her. The skin was still red most of the time but had stopped bleeding every time she hit it.  
  
"It was pretend, Angel,"he answered before gluing the muffler to his car. "Your arm's healing and we're all back here safely, aren't we?"  
  
"Except moi mon ami Logan is pissed..." Remy stirred his food then looked around. "Remy believe he'll go speak wit' de ot'ers."  
  
"Have fun, Remy."  
  
No one spoke again until he was gone. Angel relaxed her hold on the box then folded the page down and dropped it, hopping off the counter. She walked over with Corey and they both sat down in chairs, opposite each, to Russ' sides.  
  
Corey broke their silence. "Julius' behavior has gotten old. The rest us can at least front working together but he's become a problem. I have to admit, like everyone else, I enjoy it when he's not that much an asshole..."  
  
Not that much of an asshole. Angel mentally laughed at the sentiment. She hated his behavior and his attitude and how much of an attitude he treated their 'team' with. It wasn't that she hated him; Kris had taught her never to hate anyone. It was that he didn't seem to think anyone deserved the time of day from him.  
  
Russ glued the taillights on his car then shook his head. "Or maybe he's just waiting for Angel to offer him a little Southern Comfort."   
  
"Excuse me?" Her eyebrows came together in a confused line before the meaning of his words set in.  
  
"Southern Comfort. There's a bottle in the cupboard, Angel,"Corey pointed out, standing to retrieve the bottle. He placed it in her hand.  
  
She stared at it. "Maybe I will,"she finally muttered, rising from her chair so fast that it fell over. She gave them both a smug smirk then stalked from the room, holding the bottle. "Maybe I will go give Julius some Southern Comfort."  
  
Back in the kitchen, Corey looked at Russ. "She does mean alcohol, doesn't she?"  
  
"At the moment? I'm not sure. I'm really not sure...."  
  
TWENTY MINUTES LATER  
  
"Kanteon, I ain't in the habit of drinkin' with people that infuriate me." Angel stared at the glass he held then returned to staring at the ceiling. It seemed weird that she hated this guy yet was, at the moment, lying on his floor, watching the ceiling.  
  
Julius looked down at her in amusement after taking another drink. "If I didn't know better I'd say you have been drinking. Why are you here?"he questioned, sitting down on the floor beside her stretched out body. His gaze scanned the length of her body, taking in the way she laid with her eyes closed.  
  
"Russ told me to come offer you some Southern Comfort since you've been locked in your room and not being much of an asshole,"she said, honesty draining from her voice. "I'm not sure what kind of Southern Comfort they meant but Corey seemed to think alcohol. That's why there's a bottle.."  
  
Angel knew she was making a mistake, pulling this stunt but she's never been good at doing excatly what someone told her. As a kid she'd always done what people said with a twist. If a teacher told her to read a book, she'd pick the most violent one she could find. Her aunt told her to take Daniel somewhere, she'd go there then make other stops. Vel hated the quality and had made it known to her several times.  
  
"Uh-huh...what would the other southern comfort be?"he questioned, bringing the glass back to his mouth to drain it. It didn't matter that they were both illegal to drink, her more so then him.   
  
"I'm southern." She sat up, brushing dust from her hair and back then looked at him. "This would be the other southern comfort, Julius,"she said, startling herself by using his first name rather than his last. She got up to rest on her knees then kissed him.  
  
Julius hesitated only a moment before dropping the glass onto the floor and kissing her back; the glass shattered, spraying the floor in glass that neither noticed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Julius trailed one of his hands down Angel's back, feeling how tense the muscles were. She shifted away from him, to the other side of the bed, staring at the dark painted wall.   
  
"I'm still trying to figure out how you can be seventeen and a virgin,"he said without looking at her. He'd barely glanced at her since their "southern comfort" session.  
  
Angel shrugged and pulled the blanket up against her chin with a yawn. She pressed her face into the pillow, closing her eyes. "Does it matter? I'm not one anymore thanks to you..."she told him without opening her eyes. She felt like falling asleep.   
  
The thought that anyone could come in and realize she'd just slept with Julius didn't bother her. It wasn't like any of them would care beyond giving her a lecture about her behavior.  
  
"It was your idea, princess. You regret it, don't you?"Julius asked; his voice was edged with cold. "Did you honestly expect your first time to be with someone you love?"  
  
The sneer was obvious.  
  
She sat up, pulling the covers against her chest. "Shut up, Julius. I never asked you to love me."  
  
"Good because I won't."  
  
"It's just sex. I should have made a better choice for a first time,"she mumbled, struggling to get up. Julius caught her wrists and after a moment pinned them above her head, holding her still.   
  
"Get off me, Kanteon..."  
  
"Maybe I should...refresh your memory?"he demanded, raking his gaze over the exposed half up her upper body.  
  
Angel pulled on her wrists and glared at him through half-slitted eyes. "I swear if you don't get off of me..."  
  
"You'll do what? Yell rape? Honey, you were all too willing moments ago..."  
  
"Stop mocking me, you bastard."  
  
"Such language."  
  
"Here's one more for you. Ra---"  
  
Her sentence cut off when his mouth pressed against hers. She pressed her lips against her teeth but gasped when his teeth bit into her lips; she kissed him back. "That doesn't seem like much of a rape to me,"Julius taunted after relfeasing her wrists and getting up. He gathered up some clothes then walked to the bathroom. "When I get out you'd do well to be gone."  
  
"I will be. Don't worry about that,"she whispered as a single tear slid down one cheek. It fell on her neck but she didn't bother to wipe it away. She laid still and counted to ten then got up; she pulled on her clothes, glaring at the door and cursing Julius the entire time.  
  
"I'm leaving, Julius."  
  
Julius gave no response so she left, pulling hte door shut behind her. Her composure lasted until she was in her room and the showered then she collapsed against one wall, fully dressed, retreating into herself.  
  
Throughtout the mansion, alliance members felt a sudden emptiness projecting from upstairs. It lasted several moments then vanished as fast as it had come up. 


	17. Cause and Effect

JANUARY 22, 2005  
  
MID AFTERNOON  
  
"Angel,   
  
Your aunt and I don't agree with what you're doing. I didn't believe Jax when he told us about this but the reports from Icon showed it's true. This is the stupidest stunt you've pulled yet even worse is that you've involved Tara; we both thought you had more respect for your friend then to do something this rash. The day after you recieve this Kristal will be there to pick you up and you'll return home with her...I don't expect an arguement. Velicion."  
  
Tara Toynbee stared at the letter in her hand. "Harsh much?"she questioned, looking over at Angel who stood outside the window on the balcony edge, staring down. "Didn't he even give you a choice? Maybe we want to do this."  
  
"Yeah, sure. Like Vel would give me the time to explain...I'm not going." She shifted her footing a bit to dangle one foot over.  
  
"Uh-huh. How do you plan to stay? Zey have vays of making you talk,"Tara said, putting on a perfect imitation of a German accent. She dropped the letter onto the table, making her way outside with her friend. "Have you told Rogue or Logan?"  
  
"What do I tell them? Oh, Rogue, remember my uncle? I was right...he'll be sending my aunt here in the morning to force me into leaving. Sorry to kill Xavier's dream again,"she muttered, bitterly, struggling to keep her balance.  
  
"That's a good start."  
  
"Smart ass. What would you propse I do, Tadpole?"  
  
She shrugged, looking up toward the roof rather than down at the ground. "Tell them and see what happens?"she suggested with a smirk and another shrug. Her hands restlessly played with the railing behind her. "Technically, Vel can't force you to leave. You're seventeen...that counts as an adult."  
  
"Adult, a dolt, it doesn't matter. Vel could force me easily...maybe I'll go tell Rogue and them. Maybe. Will that get you off my case?"  
  
"I'm not on your case, Angel, but it'll be worse if they don't know someone's coming to get you." Tara jumped up, catching hold of the roof's overhanging ledge. She simply held it for a moment then pulled herself up, studying her scratch marred hands. "Just go talk to them."  
  
"Fine but it won't do any good...see ya, Tara."  
  
"Bye, Angel."  
  
Tara listened to her friend's footsteps fade and the slam of her door before relaxing. She stared at the sky, thinking.  
  
She hated to admit it but she wouldn't stay without Angel. Her foster parents would be better than staying here without a friend that she'd known more than a few months. Fact was there was always this feeling of missing something when she was stuck at home. She knew her birth parents hadn't wanted her...why else would they have given her up at such a young age?  
  
"Face it, Tara. No one's ever wanted you nor will they ever,"she told herself with a scowl at the sky. She closed her eyes. "Stop mocking me. Just stop."  
  
DOWNSTAIRS LATER INTO THE DAY  
  
"Has anyone seen Angel?" Julius stopped just short of being inside the rec room where his so-called-teammates were reclining. He swept the room with his gaze, looking for her. She wasn't present.  
  
"I don't know, you don't really care,"Russ answered, looking up from the deck of cards before him. He smiled briefly then returned to the table. "Order goes counter clockwise."  
  
Kellie nodded and took the cards, handing them out. Her moves were practiced like those of a black jack dealer. She played the cards out then drew her own hand up, studying them.   
  
"Where's Angel?"  
  
"Medlab. She needed to talk to Rogue and Logan about something...if you know what's good for you leave her alone, Julius." Tara laid down a card then nodded to Corey. "Your turn."  
  
Corey laid down a card.  
  
These people are insufferable, he thought, turning and walking out of the room. He made his way down the hall, following the path that he thought would lead him to the medlab. One minute they're playing cards like good little puppets and the next they're all jumping down my throat. What did I ever do to deserve all this?  
  
Voices drew his attention.  
  
"This isn't working, Rogue. We've got one who's on the verge of leaving, three who would rather kill one another than agree, one who's lost in her own fears, and one who doesn't trust those who want to help her." Logan's voice rang clear as day through the door. "Maybe we made a mistake."  
  
"Continuing Charles' dream was a mistake? How could you think that, Wolvie?"she questioned, sounding almost like a lost child rather than the adult she was. Her voice was edged with just the right amount of anger. "There's five kids in this mansion who are picking up where we left off. Do you even have faith anymore, Logan?"  
  
"No, Rogue. That died the day the others did...the day we all should have. The fact that we're still living only shows that somehow we screwed up in staying alive." Somewhere inside a door the room a door slammed.  
  
There was a quiet sigh. "Hank, are we doin' right by these kids? Do we really want to carry on Xavier's dream or fix the mistakes of our past?"  
  
"Rogue, it's beyond our control to fix the past but this is a way to secure a future for other mutants. You're not, you can't, fix your mistakes through them." Hank's answer.  
  
Son of a bitch.   
  
He walked away without finding the person he'd been searching for. He had a feeling Angel wasn't around if they were all talking so freely. He'd have to look somewhere else to find the object of his current dilema.  
  
Logan's voice came from outside even though he was the only one out there.  
  
Crazy, that one, very crazy. Julius walked through the mansion, making his way upstairs and to the bedroom wing that the girls slept on. He knocked on the first door with no response then continued to knock until he got an answer.  
  
"Go away, Tara. I've already talked to them...it didn't do much good except cause a fight. I have to finish packing,"came the robotic reply through the door. It didn't open nor did it's occupant appear.  
  
"It's not Tara, princess."  
  
"Leave me alone, Kanteon."  
  
He ignored her words and opened the door, going in. A suitcase lay open on the bed, beginning to fill with clothes; a backpack lay on the floor, spilling books and cases onto the floor. Angel's voice came from the closet.  
  
"I said to leave me alone."  
  
"Since when do I listen to you?"he taunted, rifling through the contents of her suitcase and earning a shoe thrown in his direction for the effort. "Never, last time I looked. What's this about packing?"  
  
"I'm leaving. Enjoy your freedom, give everyone the good news,"Angel scowled, coming out of the closet and dropping more things into the suitcase. "Now get out of my bedroom."  
  
His mocking faded at the news she was leaving. He'd never tormented someone to the point of making them leave; new accomplishment. He knew he wasn't easy to get along with but dammnit she deserved everything he threw her way.  
  
"Why?"he demanded, catching hold of her arm when she tried to move away. "Why are you leaving?"  
  
"Don't worry you haven't scared me off, Kanteon, nor will you ever. My uncle's decided I'm too young and far too reckless to be part of the new X-Men...are you going to leave or do I have to make you?" She pulled her arm away and sat on the floor, begining to sort through the items there.  
  
"I'd love to see it, princess. Your can't stand up to your uncle?"   
  
What was it with this uncle? If Angel had the guts to stand up against him what made this uncle diffrent? This was a diffrent side to his so-called teammate.  
  
She looked up at him, closing her eyes after a moment. "I'm not discussing my family with you but my uncle doesn't take no for an answer...especially from me so get out." She stood again and walked to the door.  
  
Juilus followed her, stopping directly in the doorway. Now was as good a time as any to ask the question he'd finally thought about a few hours earlier. "If you're leaving then I really need an answer. What are the odds of your getting pregnant?"  
  
Angel's fist slammed into his nose, forcing him to stumble back a few steps. There was the sound of bone breaking and blood met his hand when it cupped around his nose. The door slammed without an answer; the lock clicked inside.   
  
"Shit..ANGEL!" He banged his fist against her door. In response, music kicked on at a volume so loud it rattled several windows and the light fixtures. "This isn't over." He stalked off, clutching his bleeding nose and trying to ignore the blood pouring down the front of his shirt.   
  
JANUARY 22, 2005 7:45  
  
"Can you touch the end of your nose with your tongue?"Kellie questioned, staring at the paper with a look that plainly said it was ridiculous. "What kind of questions are these, Remy?"  
  
"Good ones. Can anyone touch dere nose with their tongue?"  
  
All eye went to Tara who raised her hand. "That's a given, Rems. My tongue's like twenty feet...might be less but it's still huge,"she scowled, sticking out just enough of her tongue to touch her nose. She shrugged. "There. Happy?"  
  
"Insanely. Next: stand on one hand,"she said, looking quite confused.  
  
There was silence for a moment then Russ scratched his head. "Is that possible?" He got up from the chair, trying to balance on one hand. It had no result except to knock a vase off, shattering it.   
  
The others tried except Angel who stared blankly at the table. She'd been oddly quiet the last few hours without joining in their fun.  
  
"De angel not goin' to give it a try?"Remy asked, taking the list from Kellie to watch them. So far no one had succeeded in the current task.  
  
"Nope."  
  
Kellie looked up all of a sudden then snapped. "Hey, watch this." She placed one hand on the ground then placed her foot over top of it. "I'm standing on one hand."  
  
The strangeness of the moment broke their confusion and turned it into laughter.   
  
"Now that's good right there,"Corey said, returning to his seat. "Let's see what else this thing has."  
  
Russ and Tara settled back into their chairs until Hank appeared. Remy hid the game they'd been playing at his entrance, smiling.  
  
"Somet'ing wrong, mon ami?"  
  
"Which of you are responsible for Julius' broken nose?"Hank demanded, looking hard at each of the children. His gaze stopped the longest on Russ, obviously remembering their previous scraps. "Russ..?"  
  
"Wasn't me." He held up his hands, shaking his head.  
  
"I am." The reply was almost lost with it's quietness.  
  
Kellie turned to look, amazed at this quiet side and admittance from Angel.  
  
"What?! You?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, he alright?"  
  
"For the moment. I gave him a cell growth pill so it would heal sooner...may I inquire why?"Hank asked without looking at the cajun.  
  
She gave no answer. Even odder.  
  
"Angel, answer de doctor."  
  
"I had my reasons, alright?"she muttered, rising from the table. She started to leave. "He should have left me alone when I asked. Have Rogue and Logan heard anything from either my aunt or uncle?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. Velicion said he'll give you seven months with the group but the first sign of trouble you leave. Anyone dies, you leave. And his last request was that he send someone to stay with you for awhile...just to make sure things are okay there."  
  
"Ah, hell nah, Hank. I ain't keepin' one of his people within this house with me."  
  
"It's a condition."  
  
Angel cursed then glanced at her watching teammates. "Fine. Did he say who?"  
  
"Just a friend. He said to expect them either tomorrow or the day after..." His voice trailed off like he wasn't sure what else to say. He seemed at a real loss for words. "Logan said to come by and get sheets and things to set up another bedroom..."  
  
"Great...a baby-sitter. I hate him right now...so I packed for nothing?"  
  
"Looks like it."  
  
She cursed again before walking out of the room. 


	18. Strange Phenomenon

"Now you two are sure you want to do this?" Logan regarded the two teenagers before him, studying them both with something between curiosity and concern. He shifted his gaze from one to the other. "I can't stop the simulation until one of you gives up. You do understand that, right?"  
  
Tara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Logan, we understand. It's what we want,"she explained as if talking to a child with a low education; she didn't even recognize the tone of voice. Her words earned a glare. "Stop worrying."  
  
"Can we ask one more request?"Kellie questioned, tugging the gloves on her hands down tighter over her fingers. She flexed her fingers a moment then switched her attention to the other glove.   
  
"Maybe. What?"  
  
"Don't stand at the window and yell down what to do, okay? In a real situation, you wouldn't be there so let's make it seem more real....it's only me and Tara; what's the worst that could happen?" Kellie steepled her fingers then bent them forward, popping each one, slowly.  
  
"That's the worst question to ask or even state,"he answered but reluctantly made his way up to the viewing window. He settled into the chair behind the control panel then watched for them to appear. Once they had entered he began to flip several switches, programming it according to the settings they asked for. "Voice activation stop. Soundproof the room."  
  
Kellie and Tara looked up and gave him smiles and thumbs up. Logan started the simulation, returning to his chair once the scene began.   
  
Kellie struck first, catching her partner off guard with the sudden move. Her blow did little damage beyond stunning. Tara responded in kind by driving her knee into Kellie's stomache then moving back to allow her a few moments of recovering. Their fight continued like this for the next couple of moments; giving and taking without any real, life changing damage. After that it began to get more physical.   
  
I'll be. These two have some back bone after all. He'd thought they were just background workers; they helped but for the most part neither really contributed much to force or confrontation. This was definetly a wake-up call toward both teenagers. Logan winced as Tara's fist slammed quite hard into Kellie's stomach, knocking her off balance; she went down, slamming her shoulder against the ground so loud he more heard the crack then felt it.  
  
Dislocation maybe.  
  
He had to give each one points. They gave as good as they got, if not a little better at some points. Kellie's gloved fist made contact with the side of Tara's head, bringing her to her knees for a moment before she reaction. He wondered if tongues counted as cheats; in her case, he wasn't sure. Tara's tongue wrapped itself around Kellie's wrist and jerked. A movement that sent her straight into a wall; she laid still for a moment before forcing herself to stand.  
  
"Technically that shouldn't be allowed,"Logan growled before remembering that he'd put the room soundproof. Neither could heard his words which was just as well. He wasn't sure he actually wanted them to hear his observations of their fight. "You two were definetly not the two I figured for having a knock down drag out fight. Julius and Angel? Possibly. Julius and Russ? Unavoidable. Corey and anyone? Majority rules. Tara and Kellie? Jury's still out on that one..."  
  
Kellie had now switched their positions so that Tara was the one pinned, induring the brunt of attacks. The tongue didn't mke a second appearance. Instead one of her bent legs slipped out, swinging inward with enough force to knock Kellie's feet from under her. She went down, hard.  
  
Logan grimaced. "Even to me that sounded painful." He pressed a few buttons to bring up the medlab where Hank was sitting at a computer, working on something. "Hank, you may be recieving some new patients within the day,"he said without bothering to elaborate on who his future patients were. That wasn't the important part. "How's that other kid, Julius Kanteon, doing?"  
  
"Juilus is doing well. He's beginning to feel the pain of it healing but he's alright...his temper's gone down some and he keeps muttering something about 'over reacting to simple questions'." Hank's voice sounded amused by his own words. His blue monster-like face curved into a smile. "Although, I fear questions may have been the reason for his broken nose..someone's here. I'll be waiting for the other two, Logan."  
  
"Thanks, Hank." He ended the message by pressing a few buttons.  
  
Below in the restored Danger Room, Kellie and Tara were still going at it. Blood stains now etched over the ground at some points while at others small dents or cracks had begun. Neither appeared to be winning this good-natured match between allies; he was starting to wonder why they were even doing it.  
  
The tension ones he could understand. Julius and Russ both wanted to be even a little in control and couldn't work together because of their diffrences. Corey didn't trust himself to get close to anyone. Angel didn't know when to close her big mouth or when to accept help. Tara and Kellie were the alliance's mysteries. Neither showed emotions as strongly as their teammates but both would protect at a second's notion that someone needs it.  
  
"People change, Logan." Rogue's voice came from behind him. He turned, studying her. She leaned against the door to the control room with the ease of someone who was used to doing it. Anyone else would have been more than a little cautious about approaching him this way but never Rogue. "Look at us. We've changed...some of us worse then others."  
  
Logan turned away from the screen. "What's the cajun done now?"he asked, knowing that was where the tension laid.  
  
She came into the room and took his recently vacated chair, flopping into it and staring at the ceiling. "That's the thing. He ain't done nuthin',"she muttered in a defeated sort of way. "We don't fight or even argue. I always find him outside, looking over the graves...it's like he'd rather be dead then with us."  
  
He'd been expecting this. "It's kind of a shock to discover everything you've known, including yoruself, has been dead for years. That's not an easy thing to come into, Rogue,"Logan tried to tell her in a way that wouldn't cause an outburst. Things were strange for all of them the first few years but Gambit was taking things the hardest.  
  
"I know,Wolvie, but...maybe he'd perfer to be dead..." Her voice trailed off, quietly, like that of a child. Her head was down, staring at the floor; her knees had at some point come up to rest against her chest. "We saw everything. He just showed up in this year...what happened during that time?"  
  
"Only the cajun knows that."  
  
"And he doesn't plan to tell me anything, obviously,"Rogue muttered, bitterly then nodded to the screen. "Might want to check on those two. Remy and my problems have existed longer than anything...they can wait another few minutes."  
  
He nodded then returned to the window just in time to see Tara pull yet another stunt with her tongue. This time, though, Kellie didn't get up. The simulation began to shut down, signalling she'd given up. The soundproof disappeared instantly, leaving them open to his comments.  
  
Tara lifted her head to look up at Logan with a smile. She spread her hands out slightly as if to say 'what now?' He shook his head but opened the doors; he gave two parting statements.  
  
"That was certainly an interesting sight. Now both of you go to the medlab...Hank's waiting,"he said, somewhat gruffly. The corners of his mouth struggled not to turn up in a smile. "You two will be quite a shock."  
  
"Oh that's right. We're the good little alliance kids..." She turned around and looked at Kellie, waiting for her to either get up or ask for help. "You alright, Kellie?"  
  
"Great,"Kellie moaned, struggling to pull herself up. She used the wall for leverage to make her way over. The other hand rested against her temple. "This is going to be one hell of a headache, Tara. Thanks."  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
DOWN IN THE MEDLAB  
  
"Please, Hank? I promise not to do anything else...I just brought him lunch and an apology." Angel shifted the tray she held slightly to keep from dropping it. Her eyes remained downcast as if to avoid meeting the doctor's eyes; it worked.  
  
Hank nodded after a moment. "Alright, Angel, but don't over excite him or upset him. I know you're good at that second one,"he said, giving her a knowing look before returning to his office.  
  
I think I'm pretty good at the first one, too. All things considered. She sighed, remembering what she'd done after the 'southern comfort' talk. She'd gotten mad at Russ and Corey's accusations so she'd done something about them.   
  
It wasn't smart to sleep with Julius. Even stupider to break his nose for caring enough to find out if they had any chance of reproducing as Vel said.  
  
"Have you come to break something else, Angel?"Julius asked without his usual taunt or sarcasm. He simply sounded tired and like he had a broken nose.   
  
"No. I actually brought a peace offering and...an apology." She motioned to the tray for a moment then set it down on the edge of his hospital bed.   
  
To be honest the thing looked nothing like a hospital bed except it's white color. It had a few pillows propped behind his head and he was completely dressed except that damn trenchcoat and boots which laid nearby.  
  
"Apology?"he asked, looking confused.  
  
Angel sank into the arm chair beside his bed, drawing her feet up to rest on the edge. She became quite interested in her shoe when she next spoke. "I'm sorry for breaking your nose. You came at a bad time and then you asked about my being pregnant...I'm sorry,"she mumbled again, playing with her shoelaces to the point of untying and retying them.   
  
Julius sat there a moment without answering. His answer when it came was unexpected. "Does this mean I can break something of yours when this heals?"he asked, sounding serious but there was a hint of a smile when she looked up.  
  
"I guess. If it helps any...you hungry? I made lunch and figured I'd see if you wanted some,"she said, motioning to the tray. It held a couple of sandwiches, some chips, and a canned drink. "It's my fault you have to stay here so I volunteered to bring it."  
  
He smiled about halfway. "I'll hold you to the bargain; when this heals I get to break something of yours...shake on it?" He held out one hand, waiting.   
  
Things heal. Might as well agree to it since I do deserve it, she thought before placing her hand into his. His closed around it for a moment then released it, brushing his thumb across the under part of her wrist; she pulled away abruptly.   
  
"Did you really come to apologize or did someone force you?"Juilus asked already beginning to eat with the hunger of someone that hadn't eaten in sometime. The strange part was he'd just eaten that morning, according to Rogue.  
  
Angel sighed, fiddling with her shoes again. "No one forced me, Kanteon. I felt guilty and wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have punched you..."  
  
"You going to join me?" He nodded to the food, stopping in the middle of his sandwich to breathe. It was a somewhat hoarse, whistling sound that made her feel even guiltier for what she'd done. He hadn't deserved that but 'what are the odds of you getting pregnant' wasn't the type of question to ask someone out of the blue.  
  
"Ate already with the others. Sorry."  
  
"Well, princess, where'd you learn to hit like that?" Slowly, Julius had begun to slip back into his shell of the jerk. He stopped it, abruptly.  
  
"A friend of my aunt's taught me. She was like family to me; haven't seen her in about three years...will you answer me a question now?"she asked without ever looking away from her shoes.  
  
He shook his head and ate some more before giving any type of answer. "Talk to me, not your shoes."  
  
Angel lifted her head and met his gaze, head on. "What's with all the pricess comments?"  
  
"It seems to fit you. Sometimes you act like the rest of the world's below you...princess; it is fitting even a little?"  
  
"Maybe. Did you actually do some soul searching to point out all my faults...?"  
  
"Not all. You asked, I answered,"Julius replied, giving her a smirk before he'd finished his food. He didn't say anything else and she didn't bother with answering unasked questions. "Are you ever going to answer my question about being pregnant?"  
  
She busied herself with picking up the tray and what part of the food he didn't eat. She lifted the tray up then began to leave without giving an answer. At the last minute she turned back and gave him a smile.  
  
"Trust me, Julius. There's no odds of my getting pregnant. None."  
  
HANK'S OFFICE  
  
"Something's wrong. The facts don't add up." Hank McCoy stared at the computer screen in front of him, sifting through records. Angel had left and Julius was, for the moment, sleeping. "The statistics don't add up. Rogue and Logan remember everything from the moment of death until now. Gambit and I remember nothing until shortly before we showed up here...where's the mystery lie?"  
  
He tapped a few keystrokes then studied the printed information. It was nothing really except government files on mutants. Several names wore highlights.   
  
There was nothing in common between them.  
  
It was simple random names from the list.  
  
Remy Lebeau.  
  
Henry McCoy 'Hank'.  
  
Jubilation Lee.  
  
Jean Grey-Summers.  
  
Mortimer Toynbee.  
  
St. John Allerdyce.  
  
Raven Darkholme.  
  
Every one of the Maurders was listed with highlights.  
  
Hank stared a moment longer then his expression changed completely. "I've found it,"he whispered with hardly a sound. His gaze remained fixed upon the screen; his mouth had tightened into a hard line. "Oh my, the others must know immediately. This could mean even more damage toward mutant kind..."   
  
His attention never left the monitor or his notes while he called the true X-Men to him, leaving the children, for the moment, alone. This was not something to involve them in unless the moment came when it was forced that they be involved.   
  
If you read this please review. Tell me what I'm doing wrong or what you don't like; honesty's good and will help me grow. If there's a character you'd like to see back(exluding the Summers' couple...I know when to leave two dead) or something that you find offensive-let me know.  
  
Rogue-Demon 


	19. A Mutant Hanging

A/N: Too bad you won't learn what Hank discovered in this chapter. It will come in eventually but for the moment it's going to remain hidden; this is the next day and picks up with the children's day. Not really children, though, are they? Both of these reactions happen at the same time; this will show two different reactions to ONE event.  
  
JANUARY 22, 2005 5:52 p.m.  
  
"Someone want to remind me what we're doing here?" Russ bounced the basketball he'd picked up, randomly, from the sidwalk. It made a hollow smacking sound against the pavement. He tossed it down several more times then looked up.  
  
"Since it's the seventh time in four hours then I guess we don't have a choice, huh? There's been several mutant sightings around the area in the last few months...Logan just wants us to check around and find some information,"Angel replied, replacing her sunglasses to avoid looking at either him or the bright sunlight.   
  
"Information, information, information. Don't we ever get any field action?"Corey scowled from his place on the other side of the road. He kicked a can and sent it scittering into traffic. "What are they so afraid of?"  
  
She shrugged and kicked the basketball, forcing Russ to run after it. He ran, yelling at it to 'stop'. "Maybe because not everyone will get involved with field work...?"  
  
His response was as clipped as hers. "If it was a good cause, I'd get involved."  
  
"Oh, for the love of all things good and holy..!"  
  
Why didn't I agree to go with the intelligent two? Tara at least doesn't argue about the importance of events from weeks go and Kellie's alright company. Maybe they're not having the greatest time either since they have to carry around that transistor with Julius' mug on it.   
  
Russ caught up to his basketball then grabbed it, dribbling it several times. Shouting and voices drew his attention away from his pretend game; he whistled behind him.  
  
Angel was the first to reply through his mind. ~Have you found something?~  
  
~There's alot of commotion up ahead. Speed it up and we'll check it out...~he answered then stopped to toss the basketball against the nearby half-wall. To anyone else he would have looked like a street wise kid with nothing better to do than chunk a ball at a wall all day. His teammates knew differently; he'd already 'charged' the ball.  
  
Corey crossed the street at the same moment when Angel reached his side, removing her sunglasses. She worked to clean them off on her shirt a moment then replaced them, staring into the distance.  
  
"Don't get over dramatic right now,"Russ warned as they made their way toward a large crowd of people.  
  
There were people of every age from early stages of childhood up until middle age. Black, white, mexicans, everything. Blonde hair. Red. Electric blue. Black. Earrings. No earrings with tattoos. Earrings with tattoos. It was as if one big event was about to happen that concerned all of these people. The crowd was mostly men but there were quite a few women through the crowd, screaming right alone with the others.   
  
Bunch of lunatics, he thought with a scowl toward the people. He pushed his way through several people then waited until the other two caught up. Angel had taken a tight grip on Corey's wrist as if to keep him there; obviously, she sensed something else from him.   
  
"Is this a good idea, Russ? I think this might bring back...memories,"she said, emphasizing the word with a tilt of her head toward Corey. The gesture was not lost in his quick reaction.  
  
"I'm not a child, Angel. This doesn't affect me...I'm fine."  
  
She released his wrist. "Suit yourself. Hey, what's going on?"she asked, catching onto a random stranger, a guy around their age with spiked electric blue hair, and looking up at him. "Why's everyone gathered here?"  
  
He looked down at her with little to no interest for a moment. His expression changed suddenly into an expression of dark turbulance. "Punishment. The senator's men promised that there would be a public hanging today...a public mutant hanging. It's drawn quite a crowd, hasn't it?"  
  
Russ noticed her voice wasn't quite so strong when she spoke. There was a slight tremble to it and she backed away from the guy, releasing his arm. "I hadn't heard. Is there anything known about this...mutant?"she asked with as much interest as possible. "What's his or her crime?"  
  
"Does it matter? Mutants are the lowest beings on the earth."  
  
Corey stepped up to her side. He spoke, quietly,"We need to go, dear."  
  
There was hesitance for a moment then she nodded. Her expression hadn't changed throughout the change; she still glowered, fiercly, at the young man. She allowed Corey to pull her away but it wasn't an easy task with one hand clenched into a fist and her breathing too shallow.  
  
"Don't cause a scene."   
  
"I won't. Wait..! Something's happening."   
  
Sure enough as she'd spoken, several figures had approached and mounted the stages. The first two were men around Gambit's age with war paint and commando clothing along with heavy rifles held in two hands. The third man appeared closer to Logan's age but his hands were cuffed in front of him, his head was down, and there were healing scars and bruises over the exposed part of his body. A few more guards followed behind him with a similar appearance. When the cuffed man stopped, one of them drove the gun into his ribs hard, bringing him to his knees.  
  
The crowd cheered.  
  
Russ felt the change in Angel's persona more then saw her hand go to her mouth and her eyes close in pain. He wanted to help her but couldn't tear his gaze away from the scene before him.  
  
What kind of people can do this?he thought, forgetting to mask his thoughts. He projectted them, unknowingly. This is wrong. Apparantly this man's done nothing...why's he being punished?   
  
Some deeper part answered the rhetorical question.  
  
Mutant. There was no greater crime within this time.  
  
The man in the lead stepped forward to a strategically placed microphone. He bent close then spoke into it. "I assume you're all here for the hanging?" Cheers from his capive audience. "I'm sure some of you are wondering what his crime would be. It's alright to admit it..." Several nods and mumurs.   
  
The electric blue-haired boy remained motionless through the proceedings, listening but never moving or screaming along with the crowd. He glanced at their small group several times but never spoke.  
  
Corey tapped his shoulder then inclined his head toward Angel. She was standing completely still with one hand over her mouth and the other across her stomache, touching her left ribs, staring at the scene before them. Sweat had broken out across her forehead and every now and then she shivered. Corey, himself, didn't look much better.  
  
"Take her back, Corey. I'll stay..."  
  
At Corey's touch on her arm she jerked away. "Don't touch me,"she hissed with more the sound of a cat then a girl. She pushed her way forward to get a better view, though, her hands never moved more than an inch from their positions.  
  
The electric blue-haired boy glanced their way. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Weak stomache,"he apologized, thrusting his hands into his pockets at the familiar burning. He left them there, waiting for the feeling to vanish; it didn't.  
  
The noose was slipped around the man's neck then tightened slightly. One of the commandos took fun in continuously slamming his gun into the man's stomache until the one at the microphone said something. He stopped, abruptly, and rejoined the others. The leader again took up his position before the people as a great emperor addressing his people.  
  
Someone stop this. Russ tightened his hands into fists but even that couldn't stop the pain. His reactions were worse off then the other two. He wanted to scream at the people. To hurt them as they were hurting this man. He couldn't have been too serious a problem if handcuffs so easily subdued him. What's wrong with you people? This is wrong. No one deserves this.  
  
"...decision of the Senator on behalf of the state. It's a warning to mutants that run against the code of the state and those who help them. There's only one response to this-death by hanging. Begin." The man stepped back from the microphone.   
  
And the rope was pulled. Angel's sunglasses fell and the tears could clearly be seen running down her face. The sickening sound of bones breaking filled the area, drawing more cheers from it's on lookers. Things were thrown forward onto the stage; several hit the man's lifeless body. None of the commandos moved to do anything about it.  
  
Russ turned away, sickened. He shook his head to his teammates then walked away with the two of them in tow. The three slipped into one of the back alleys; silence reigned between them for all of five minutes before one spoke everyone's sentiment.  
  
"Bastards."  
  
Angel gradually came out of her trance. She wiped the sweat from her forehead then leaned against the wall, staring into space. The pained expression left her face only to be replaced by anger; no one spoke afterwards.   
  
Two and a half members of their team were still missing. Maybe someone had been spared what they'd seen, maybe not.  
  
JANUARY 22, 2005 5.52 p.m.  
  
Tara tried her hardest to ignore the voices from her other side. Julius' was the most prominent while Kellie's was quiet but answering.  
  
"Don't blame us cause you had to go and get your nose broken, Kanteon." Kellie turned the transmitor away from her and allowed him to watch the street view before them. Her steps never faltered despite the move.  
  
What have I ever done to deserve this?Tara wondered, looking skyward despite her lack of religion. She tried to ignore the communications, knowing another confrontation about behavior was coming. I know I'm not the perfect child but even I don't deserve this much. There's got to be something wrong with this world.  
  
"Hey, what's with that crowd? I can't see anything." Julius' whining voice filled the air. It had become whining whenever he grew irritated. Often as of recently. "What's going on? What's going on?"  
  
"When we find out we'll let you know..." She shoved her way through the throng of people then made her way up to the far side of a large stage. Her gaze met nothing but a sea of people beyond and surrounding the stage until her gaze met on a parting within the crowd. Several figures moved up a long, straight path the crowd was making. "It's a crowd, Julius."  
  
There was an irritated growl from the transmitor. "Tadpole, stop being a smart ass and figure out what you're suppoused to be,"Logan growled as his face appeared across the screen. He did not look pleased by their antics. His expression was darker then Julius' had ever gotten. "Have you learned ANYTHING yet?"  
  
"Would we still be wandering through endless crowds if it were any different, Logan? Something's happening...be quiet until we figure it out."  
  
Kellie clicked the transmittor off then both transported their attention to the opening in the crowd. The men had boarded the stage then one took to the microphone while the others stood nearby, holding their prisoner. Cheers and applause met his announcements and words. Things continued with cheering, talking, and finally the hanging of a mutant.   
  
In an instant, a memory came forward in Tara's mind. It was old. It was buried. For the moment it was clear as though it played out before her eyes.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
The circus was in town. Children and adults, alike, had turned out for the big event. Signs proclaimed anything one could think up in circus dreams. Alligators. Ring masters. Circus freaks. Clowns. Rings of fire with animals. A frog-child.  
  
Garbage and half-eaten food items flew at the stage when the ring master led forward his favorite act-the frog child. It was his pride and joy, not to mention favorite punching bag.  
  
The child was a small thing, maybe five years of age, with something like a chain around her neck. Maybe. Her body structure was smaller then most children, her hair was greenish brown and somewhat dirty and messily crossed over her head, and her clothes were tattered and too big for her. Her skin was like that of a frog but the eyes were the main part. Hazel eyes. Terrified. The child stared out at the crowd with a mixture of fear and panic.  
  
"Who can guess what this is?"  
  
The crowd gave no response except to yell,"What?"  
  
"A mutant child. Would anyone care to see what she can do...?" More cheers from the audience. The man smiled, a devious smile, showing he recieved pleasure from this job, then made a mocking motion toward the child. "Presenting...Tadpole."  
  
Things went from bad to worse in a few moments. The other circus workers and the crowd took joy in tormenting the child; the child, Tadpole, responded with fear and by struggling to get away. Her movements did no good against them. It only took a short amount of time to turn the child into a quivering thing upon the stage before them.  
  
"That's enough!" The words were spoken from a stranger. He'd come from the crowd but his expression was not the good natured amusement of someone else's pain. His expression was fierce but there was a strange look to it whenever he encountered the child. "Leave her alone."  
  
That's when a fatal mistake was made. The Ring Master made the mistake of flinging the whip he'd been using toward the man. It was caught within one of his hands at the same moment as claw-like structures made of metal came from his knuckles. Utter silence fell upon the stage and among the crowd.  
  
Tadpole took the chance and retreated behind the man. She cowered there, quivering and shivering.   
  
The rest was a blur until later in the day. The man hadn't given a name but had gotten her something to eat, some somewhat too large but decent clothes, then left her at some large building the next morning before she was fully awake. She remembered him saying something to her about "needing to go but she was safer now". It was a huge building with tons of women all overly concerned for her well-being; she had realized people were fake early on.   
  
To her knowledge, the man had never resurfaced nor would he ever. He'd saved her, taken care of her, then abandoned her. Alone.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"I remember. I know who he was..." Tara stared at the scene a moment then turned away, spotting their friends on the other side. She caught Kellie's wrist and pushed her way through the crowd, pushing them forward. Several people protested the move but it wasn't enough to stop her. "Move already!"  
  
"Tara, there's no reason to get over dramatic....calm down."  
  
"Just come on,"she scowled, shoving past an electric blue-haired boy who had begun walking away. For the briefest moment his eyes flashed yellow without pupils. She recoiled then shook her head when he was restored in the blink of an eye.  
  
I imagined it. Over active imagination kicked into overdrive. There was nothing odd about him except maybe the hair, she thought while continuing to shove her way through.  
  
Kellie finally caught her breathe when they reached their friends and/or teammates. She gasped for a moment then glanced at Tara, lifting an eyebrow.  
  
"Where's the fire?"  
  
"I needed to get out of that circle. You think that was the mutant action we were looking for?"Tara asked, quietly, glancing back toward the scene. She quickly turned away, sickened.   
  
The human race was no longer even human. It had become animals.  
  
Russ nodded. "I'd bet on it. Something's been going on to get these people in an uproar. Ready to head back...?" His gaze went to Corey's far-away expression and Angel's still emotionless yet tear streaked face.  
  
Corey nodded.  
  
"There's nuthin' else we can do. I'll pray for his spirit,"Angel said, quietly but began to walk with them. The crowds cheers and the sounds of their scuffles were fading behind them but the sight and sounds would never leave them. It would stay there for a long time until another, worse image, replaced it.  
  
8:45 p.m.  
  
"Hey, we're home!" Angel slammed the door with enough force to rattle several pictures on the walls and a vase in the hall.  
  
Russ gave her a look. "Nice job. Want to bring down the house with your next words?"he asked, sounding much more irritated then when he'd originally started the drive home. His demeanor, including emotions, had gotten worse as the night fell closer.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you but no, Russ, darling."  
  
"I'm going to go talk to Logan a moment and tell him what we found,"Tara said as way of excuse then slipped off from the group. Her foosteps barely made a sound across the floor but after a moment she was gone.  
  
Why's everyone seem so weird? It was just a public hanging. Of a mutant. Angel pondered these thoughts but walked with Corey and Kellie toward the living room and it's voices.   
  
The room held a feeling of unease, excitement, distrust, and suprise. It was a strange, usually unusual mix of emotions. She could sense Rogue's the strongest with distrust. Another unease.  
  
Corey interrupted. "Hey, Rogue, didn't you hear us yell? We found....who's this?"  
  
Kellie stopped walking and tried to look around him while Rogue simply stood, smiling.  
  
"Where's Angel?"she questioned, looking among them.  
  
Great, what have I done now? I haven't even been back long enough to cause a problem. This better not be about Julius agian.   
  
Angel lifted her hand, tentatively if that was possible. She stepped around her friends then looked at Rogue. "Yes, Rogue? I'd really like to go upstairs and sleep..."  
  
"Your uncle's watcher is here."  
  
"Yay, who'd the great and powerful Veliction feel necessary to guard his precious neice?"she asked with more sarcasm than should have been legal in one sentence. She stepped forward into the room then her expression changed to one of shock then joy. "You!"  
  
Corey and Kellie traded expressions then both raised an eyebrow toward her. "Who...?" 


	20. The Sixth Day Law OUT OF EFFECTCloning

MEDLAB 8:50 p.m.  
  
Tara walked in and looked around, squinting slightly against the bright lights. The room was lit like a movie set except there was no camera equiptment or actors, just Logan and Hank going over something on the computer screen.   
  
"Logan..? Hank..?"she asked as she came up behind them. The computer was immediately clicked off; at least, the monitor.   
  
Logan turned toward her and pasted a scowling smile across his face. "Yeah, kid?"  
  
"We found the mutant disturbance you were talking about..." Her words trailed off into silence. She waited a moment still wondering what they were hiding on the computer screen. Hank had never hidden anything from her, at least.  
  
"Oh? Did you bring them back with you?"Logan asked without looking away from her.  
  
She shook her head, slowly and fidgeted from one foot to the other. "He's dead, Logan."  
  
It was the first time she'd seen him with nothing to seen. His expression just shifted into one of blank emotions. There was nothing not even that smirk. "How and when?"  
  
"They hung him. It was a couple of hours ago...we watched it. There was nothing we could do. I'm sorry,"Tara said with honesty in her voice. She hadn't wanted to believe there was nothing they could do for him. "He was about your age. It was horrible, Logan. They paraded him before this crowd that cheered, they cheered, for his death...he died on stage for everyone to see. It was horrible."  
  
Hank nodded, standing. "Many things of this world are horrible, Tara. You have to get beyond them...I'll be in my office, Logan." Logan nodded and he made his exit into the inner office.  
  
"I remember something else....I think it was a held back memory." He studied her without comment. His expression didn't change nor did he say anything. She continued on, staring down at her Trainers with a look of intense interest. "Have you ever been to a circus?" He shrugged in response. "Tell me. Don't shrug...please."  
  
"Fine, yes. It's only been once. I hate the things."  
  
"Why?"she persisted while still staring at her shoes.  
  
"Bad experience once. I don't want to talk about it..." Logan brushed past her on his way out, stopping briefly to click off several of the large lights. He continued toward the door without another word to her.  
  
"Were you the one that got me out of the circus as a child, Logan?!"she yelled at his back. The first thing she noticed was his stiffening then the halt in movement. He didn't turn back but didn't leave her. She waited.  
  
His answer when it came wasn't what she'd expected. She'd known he would deny it or realize it was just an image she created. He proved otherwise. "Yeah, kid. I was the one that got you out then left you..."he answered before walking out the door and pulling it shut behind her.  
  
Tara closed her eyes at the words but simply slumped into a chair, resting her head against her hands. She didn't cry even though she wanted to. Anyone could tell she wanted to. from the look on her face. Sounds echoed around her but none affected her.  
  
Logan had saved her. When she was a kid, he'd saved her from the circus and taken care of her for a little while. Tara knew she had to make it up to him; somehow, she would thank him for what he'd done. Somehow.  
  
LIVING ROOM 8:47 p.m.  
  
"Nanaki!" Angel threw her arms around the neck of the adult sitting on the couch. Her arms automatically came around the over-excited girl and caught her before she could do any real damage.  
  
"Breathe, Angel,"Nanaki instructed in a level tone. 'Nanaki' was tall and obviously irish from her bright red hair and green eyes. She was dressed in almost complete black beyond her jeans and wore a trenchcoat that was similar to Julius'. A pair of black boots were on her feet and she wore a ring on the ring finger of her left hand.   
  
Nanaki. The name hadn't been spoken by anyone in a few years. Nanaki had stopped being a topic shortly into her training. Once Vel and Jax took over she hadn't seen her 'aunt' again until that moment. Angel wasn't even sure if Aunt Kristal talked to Nanaki anymore but that was almost anyone's guess. There was always something going on that would stop anything normal like making phone calls.  
  
Rogue clear her throat. "Would you like to introduce your friend to the others, Angel?"she asked with more a command then a question. The way it was spoken reminded her of Velicion.  
  
"Oh." She removed her arms from around Nanaki's neck and motioned for her to stand. Nanaki did. "Nananki, this is Corey Desmonds, Kellie Senthesis, and Rogue. This is Nanaki Celeste Lu...Nanaki. Yeah, her name's Nanaki."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Nanaki,"Rogue said, shaking her hand. She nodded briefly then looked down at her wrist; the watch on her wrist beeped and began to glow. "I guess you two want to talk. I need to go check on another one of the kids...will you be alright?"  
  
Nanaki smiled. It was more a smirk. "We'll fine. Won't we, Angel?"  
  
She nodded with a smile then waited until the others had left. Rogue went to the medlab and the other two vanished upstairs, claiming a little rest and relaxation. After a few moments the only ones remaining were the two of them.  
  
"This place as bad as your uncle made it sound or was he being over dramatic?"Nanaki asked once they'd sat back down. She stretched her legs out and propped them on top the tabletop with a yawn.  
  
"Depends. What's Vel say?"  
  
"That you're running around with some radical group of mutants that's only plot is to assasinate the senator. They're really big on mutant riots, break out criminals mutants, and house several fugitives...how much is true?"  
  
Angel laughed. "It is a group of mutants. We're not plotting to assasinate the senator-yet. There's only been one mutant riot which was earlier today and we did break Jax out...Jax works for Vel. You remember him, right?"  
  
She nodded. "He's an asshole."  
  
"Uh-huh. I'm not sure about the fugitive thing except that Julius is in the wrong country; he's Canadian. As far as I know, they're all legite except Russ but he's safe...no one here would hurt me, Nanaki,"she replied with as much truth and courage as she could muster.   
  
She didn't mention Juilus or the fact of their many 'run-ins'. Or that they'd discussed her getting pregnant or his broken nose or anything else. It was up to her to share everything with this person she hadn't seen in near to three years.  
  
"You actually enjoy this place then?"  
  
"Yeah, Nanaki, I do,"Angel said with a genuine smile. Even she knew it was rare for such a thing among herself. Smiles that were genuine were usually nonexsistence; sarcasm covered more.  
  
"I'll only stay for a few weeks. After that...you're free to do whatever you want." A nod from Angel then she continued. "But there's one more thing. I agree with your uncle on a few things."  
  
"What?!" She jumped up to glare down at her. "You agree with him?!"  
  
"Angel, listen to me. This is dangerous. The first time someone dies or your life gets in danger, drop it. You mean a lot to me and I'd like to keep you around, okay?" Nanaki stood, too, but placed one hand on Angel's shoulder. "We got a deal?"  
  
"Fine. Will you be reporting my every move back to Vel?"  
  
"Not unless I see something that he should be told; then I'll confront you before him. Deal or not, Angel?" She held her hand out then waited. Angel shook it, hesitating a fracture of a minute too long. "I trust you. Don't screw that up..."  
  
JANUARY 23, 2005 5:03 a.m.  
  
"Rise and shine, kiddies!" Logan banged his fist against the doors as he walked down the hall. He stopped only long enough to make sure they were getting up before moving on to the next bedroom. He banged on that door, as well. "Rise and shine, kiddies! It's a brand new day."  
  
There came a muffled groan from the room then something hit the door. He noticed the barest glimpse of something like a knife blade in the door. Silence for a moment then a 'shriek' echoed from the bedroom.  
  
"What are you doing in my room?!" Angel's voice was suprisingly more angry then before but there was a sound to it he didn't recognize. He banged on the door a moment then tried the knob; it didn't turn. "Get out!"  
  
Something hit the floor. A few moments later there was the sound of walking toward the door. It came open when he went to knock again. The sight that greeted him could have suprised anyone, especially him.  
  
"Good Morning, Logan,"Julius greeted with a smirk as he made his way out, pulling his trenchcoat on over his clothes. His expression was much too smug while behind him Angel simply looked...worried. "See you in a few, Angel."  
  
"Bye, Julius,"she mumbled but she hadn't looked up from staring at the bedspread. She drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin there. "You can go away, Logan. Everything's fine."  
  
"You sure, kid?"he asked without looking away from her. She nodded then pushed the door shut in his face with a hand motion. The lock clicked after a moment.  
  
He knew she was making a mistake but what was he suppoused to do about it? He couldn't stop her from being involved with Julius but it wasn't good for her. He didn't want any of them to grow attached to one another since he wasn't even sure this group would work. It way more play by ear then anything.  
  
Logan was still thinking about that when Rogue met him in the hallway. "Is something wrong, Logan? You look pissed."  
  
"It's just thinking. Will you watch the training sessions today?"he asked, beginning to make his way toward the stairs. He waited until she fell into step beside him before making his way down the stairs.  
  
"I don't know the order, Wolvie."  
  
"It's written in the control room. I want them to learn to fight all of their teammates...the new list will mix their pairs up. Kellie and Tara need to seperate but don't put Tara and Angel together. I don't think that would turn out well. Seperate Angel and Russ; they're too comfortable,"he explained, ticking off his reports on one hand as they descended the staircase. "Russ might do good against Julius but that could get serious. As a test put those two together-at the first sign of trouble or too serious, seperate them."  
  
"Right, why can't Tara and Angel face each other?" Rogue steadied a vase when her hand hit it. She walked through the mansion to the kitchen then poured a mug of coffee, taking a drink. "Someone makes good coffee."  
  
The kids pointed at Kellie. "Kellie."  
  
Logan poured his own mug then answered her previous question. "I don't want to see them together considering their history. It is pretty good...nice job, kid. I need to go speak with Hank. You know what about, Rogue?" He raised his eyebrows until she nodded.  
  
"Go on, Logan. I can take care of them for a few hours."  
  
Rogue waited until he was gone before surveying Them. She wanted to set them off in pairs according to their fighting ability but also which ones weren't too comfortable around one another.   
  
Angel and Julius sat at opposite ends of the table, munching away on toast with more jelly and butter than toast. Russ was still fiddling with those damn cars of Logan's while Kellie and Tara were simply going through the motions of eating and playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. Corey wasn't present.  
  
She began to mentally create pairs.  
  
Tara and Corey. They'd compliment each other with their quickness and powers.  
  
Kellie and Angel. Their combination of skills would do good, considering.  
  
Julius and Russ. They were stuck with one another.   
  
"Get up, y'all. It's time for training,"she commanded after a moment. She picked up her coffee, waited for their attention, then walked to the door. "Be ready and meet me in the control in thirteen minutes."  
  
"Yes, Rogue!"  
  
THIRTEEN MINUTES LATER  
  
"First, Corey and Tara. You two have tweleve minutes." Rogue waited for the two to get inside then locked down the simulation and room. She pressed several buttons then returned to her chair, drinking from her mug.   
  
Unlike her, the others gathered around the over-looking window to watch their teammates. The fight was exactly as she had figured; they both fought well but in the end Tara won by default. When your opponent couldn't bring himself to stand, you kind of won, right?  
  
Angel cheered then smacked Julius for rolling his eyes at her. He responded by kicking her under the desk, hard. She glared at him but was saved from retaliation by Rogue's voice.  
  
"Kellie, Angel, you're next. Keep it clean and no powers, alright? Again, tweleve minutes."  
  
"Yes, Rogue."  
  
"Alright, Rogue."  
  
Their match was better only in the gesture that it lasted longer and had fewer injuries. Fighting was more difficult between them since they had to avoid skin contact while still getting in some form of damage. After tweleve minutes, neither had won and the alarm rang off. Angel rubbed one of her arms where a large purplish-gray bruise had formed from just below the shoulder to the elbow. Kellie touched her swollen eye and tested three of her fingers that were hurt.  
  
"You two did good."  
  
"Thanks, Rogue."  
  
"Russ, Julius, your turn. Same rules. Tweleve minutes,"Rogue said, emphasizing the words 'same rules'. It wouldn't take much to set those two into a real fight and she really didn't want to have to referee; her powers only went so far and she didn't relish giving either a head injury.  
  
Maybe they'll be alright for once. It's just practice. How much damage could they cause with tweleve minutes? It shouldn't be much, it couldn't be much.   
  
Her theory turned out wrong.  
  
Russ and Julius went from bad to worse to the worst. In under seven minutes things were serious and out of control. Their powers were involved, though, not as strong as they could be. Small miracle. The others weren't sure how to handle it, not even Corey.  
  
Rogue called down to Hank and Logan. "Problem. Julius and Russ are out of control...I'm going down there but I might need your help. Get up here, now. The control room will be locked until we get this broken up...I want the others to stay out of it..."  
  
MEDLAB (same time as above events)  
  
Logan stared at the computer screen then shook his head. "It can't be right, Hank. If it is then Juiluis would be right,"he said, glaring at the screen then watching the doctor's hands fly.  
  
Hank shook his head and clicked on a few scrambled letters. "No, he's still wrong. You and Rogue are completely real except for the fact that for some reason neither of you can age beyond...this. If I'm correct all of these names." He indicated the list of print outs with its many highlights. He pointed out the first name he recognize-Mystique. "They are within this time period but they are not the originals. Someone went through the trouble of recreating them and planting the original people's memories into their minds....it's basically mutant cloning."  
  
"Are you one, Hank?"  
  
He nodded. "I believe so, my friend. Gambit, too."  
  
Logan cursed, a quiet sound. "I don't want to have to inform Rogue. You mean anyone with a higlight is a clone...but thinks they're real McCoy? No pun."  
  
"I understand. Of that I'm quite sure, Logan. To them it's reality when they are honestly...clones."  
  
"Isn't there a law against cloning humans, Hank? I thought there was one..."  
  
Hank shook his head and pulled up another screen. "I've looked at that, too. Apparantly we are not counted as human beings. In this century, we are simply genetics mistakes....we all in all cases nothing."  
  
The screen of the computer beeped then an alarm went off as Rogue's face appeared. She wasn't smiling nor was she into idle chit-chat for the moment.   
  
"Problem. Julius and Russ are out of control...I'm going down there but I might need your help. Get up here, now. The control room will be locked until we get this broken up...I want the others to stay out of it..."  
  
"Give us ten, Rogue. We're in the middle of discussing something...try to break it up. If neccessary, use force but try not to hurt too serious." The message ended with one last yell from behind Rogue.  
  
Hank saved the information then signed off the computer.   
  
"Wait until the children are either on their next mission or sleeping then we'll discuss this...after that we will needs to find them."  
  
"What do we do when we find them, Hank?"Logan asked on their way out of the medlab.  
  
"I won't lie. We find them and get rid of them, including Remy and myself...." 


	21. BREAKING MUTANT NEWS

MEDLAB 11:36 p.m.  
  
"This won't work." Rogue's words were an echo of the others' thoughts.   
  
It wouldn't work. They couldn't go off chasing down cloned mutants; they had an alliance of kids to train for a world that wouldn't accept them. The set-up was made worse with the fact that two of their own were clones. One of which was quite devestated to learn his second chance was not real and that he was in reality...dead. No one had taken the news well but least off all Rogue. She hadn't cried. They were still waiting for it. It would come.  
  
"I agree. We can't just run off after this...we've got these kids to think about and then there's this new watcher, Nanaki. She's a bit of a complication,"Logan said, voicing another thought of the others. He propped his feet on top one of the counters and chewed on the end of a cigar. "If we send the kids out, does she go with?"  
  
"Remy don' t'ink it's wise. Dey don' know her like dey do each other....she could jeopardize someone's life or cause an unneccessary problem."   
  
"What's it matter what Remy thinks? Remy isn't real..." Rogue stood, slamming her chair back so hard that it tipped over, slid across the floor, and smacked into a wall. She ignored it to glare at them. "Or does no one else realize that we're leaving in a house with two clones that think they're the real deal?"  
  
"Roguey..."  
  
"Don't 'Roguey' me! You're not Remy and you ain't never gonna be Remy...figure it out on your own, guys. I'm out."  
  
Logan stood, too. "What about when we get a decision, darlin?"  
  
"Whatever you decide..." She hesitated before continuing. "I'll go along with." Before anyone could make further comment, Rogue was gone with the wake of her echoing footsteps and her empty chair.  
  
Remy's hands came up to cover his face. He didn't move or offer further comment.  
  
"Hank, what would be the better options? Go ourselves and leave the kids alone, send them to find these clones, or leave someone with the kids and the others go? If the last one, then who?" Logan laid the options out after removing his cigar; it went back almost instantly.   
  
Hank looked around a moment then consulted his list. "I wouldn't recommend the first one since they're obviously not ready for that. I'd rather not do the second one since that would require an explanation...the third might work but we need everyone. Rogue's too emotionally involved to be much of a pillar for anyone, Remy and myself are part of the problem, and you're the most valuable asset, Logan....there's a lot of ways this can end. Most aren't good."  
  
Logan shook his head. "It's not a split second decision. We need to sleep and the Cajun clone over there should talk to Rogue...it might not do good but she might listen. In the morning, we'll decide what to do, agreed?"  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Remy gave no response except to nod his hand then stand. He walked out of the room like Atlas, carrying the world on his shoulders. He looked horrible but Logan had a feeling it wouldn't get any better.  
  
Hank shook his head at his exit. "I fear the decision is already made, Logan. This is just postponing it..."  
  
"You figured me out, Hank."  
  
JANUARY 23, 2005 7:35 a.m.  
  
"My back hurts." Corey fell into a chair in the kitchen, holding one hand against the lower part of his back. He massaged the muscles there with a moan.   
  
"You? I think Kanteon broke my wrist..."Angel scowled, grimacing while her wrist was bandaged by Hank. She drew in a rough, shaky breathe but didn't jerk away from his hands.   
  
Julius smiled and tipped her chin up so their eyes met. His expression wasn't a pleasant one. "Remember our deal, Demon?"he asked, caressing the side of her face until she shoved it away and 'floated' a bowl of cereal to him.  
  
"Hungry, Kanteon?"she asked sweetly. In the blink of an eye, the bowl turned upside down and poured over his head, leaving a trail of soggy cereal and milk.  
  
There were several gasps but Corey laughed. Served him right; they weren't suppoused to get that serious. He'd broken the rules...but what was this about a deal?  
  
Nanaki chose that moment to enter. Her eyes went straight to Angel and Hank, noting the bandage and her gaze locked with Julius. "Is something going on here?"she asked, quietly but there was an under lying threat. Her entire persona said-if you hurt her, I hurt you.  
  
"Nah, just trainin' and breakfast, Nanaki. Kanteon seems to have missed his mouth...right?"  
  
Corey waited for an answer but there came none except a mighty cracking sound from the next room. As they watched, several large cracks split the wall, starting at the top and spiraling down; several light fixtures shook.  
  
"Yes, I did, Angel. Thank you for the concern." Julius stalked from the room, leaving several more cracks in the walls and a longer one down the length of one side of the room's floor.  
  
That can not be a good sign. What exactly happened between those two? First there was Juilus' broken nose then she visited him in the medlab. Offered to take him lunch, wasn't forced. Now Angel had a broken wrist and had dumped a bowl of cereal over his head. He was pissed.  
  
"Baby mama drama is not warranted among mutants,"Russ said around a mouthful of pop tarts. He seemed unfazed by anything except maybe his vanishing breakfast and the little car he was painting.  
  
Angel gave no answer. Another odd thing.  
  
"Would you all just shut up?"Logan demanded upon his entrance. He walked to the coffee pot and fixed a cup, taking a drink straight after pouring it. He glared at them a moment then motioned with his head toward the door. "Go into the living room. There's something Hank needs to discuss with you...take your food if you're not through. NOW."  
  
Rogue still stood at the window when they entered the room. Her back faced them but anyone that looked could see tear tracks on her face; Corey recognized them from his own mother when his father used to vanish for days on end. God, he missed them.  
  
"Please sit down, children. I'm afraid my news isn't good..." Hank motioned to the chairs then touched Rogue's shoulder. She jerked with a visible shudder. "Rogue, would you sit with the others?"  
  
"No,"she said in that quiet voice that held no hope for arguement.   
  
Angel went over to her side and stood beside her, placing one hand against the window, palm out. "What's wrong, Rogue?"she questioned quietly as she studied the scene before her. The window overlooked the graves; in the mist of them, Remy knelt with his head buried in his hands, almost in the dirt.  
  
"It's nuthin', Angel. Go listen to Hank." The words took a visible effort.  
  
"Alright..."  
  
Corey stared at her for a moment, trying to understand her..but it failed. She was untouchable much like her name and power suggested. Rogue. Untouchable. Scarred by herself and others.  
  
Hank waited until they were seated on two couches and Julius had returned with his black scowl and clean/dry clothes. He surveyed them a moment then held up a stack of paper. Even from their disadvantage point highlights were visible in pale gray.  
  
"I've been doing some research about what happened to us, the X-men. It seems that things are exactly as they appear; you have a right to know the truth,"he said, glancing once at Rogue. He turned back without her meeting his gaze. She'd never looked away from the window. "While Rogue and Logan are real beyond their inability to age beyond their current ages-both should be well into their eighties or more-but Remy and myself are not."  
  
"What?!" The question was taken up as a group effort followed by complaints, individual conversations, and arguements.  
  
"QUIET!" Logan halted the conversations in an instant. "He's not finished yet."  
  
"Thank you, Logan. From my searching, I've found that we are experiments in mutant cloning..."  
  
"Meaning?"Russ asked, knowing the answer from the look in his eyes and the rigid set of his jaw.  
  
"Remy and myself are clones of the original Beast and Gambit. Our memories are real but we are not, for lack of a better way to put it, the true X-men. We are clones along with many other mutants,"he finished, seperating the sheets into several stacks. He left them on the table for the moment to finish. "The reason I'm telling you this is that we need your help to find them. There's, on an estimate and educated guess, thirteen known cloned mutants, including myself and Remy."  
  
"Does that mean we're to find thirteen mutants, without guidance?"Kellie asked, startling them all with the seriousness of her tone. She stood. Obviously she was taking this well.  
  
Hank shook his head then gave Logan several stacks of paper. He offered another to Rogue; she took it then handed them off, slowly, almost robot-like.   
  
"These sheets contain information about mutants that we need to find...their names and codenames, powers, background, and any other details, including family; I'd suspect most of the listed relatives except decendants are dead."  
  
"Do we choose our own teams or did you assign those as well?"Julius demanded, staring down at the paper he held. His gaze searched the paper then landed on something. "Pyro? What kind of a name is that..?"  
  
"If you read further before running your mouth, kid, you'd know,"Logan growled before placing a cigar into his mouth to chew on the end. He walked to Rogue and said something quiet, almost in her ears. She shook her head without looking away.  
  
"No." Hank shook his head again. "You've been paired up according to your skills. Julius and Angel are together since your powers compliment but are a little dependant..."  
  
"Dependant? Her but not me."  
  
Angel took the papers from him. "Shut up, Misery."  
  
Hank continued around them. "Russ and Tara are together since both are they work well and what he lacks in skills, she makes up for. It works in it's own way. Corey and Kellie will work together since their powers can work together; he can create illusions to get her close enough to at least hurt if not kill their charges...Rogue and Gambit will stay here. Logan and I will try to find some of the 'harder to catch' mutants,"he said as though it explained everything. It didn't. They all had questions, lots of questions but none would voice them now.  
  
"He ain't Remy,"Rogue said from her place at the window once more. She turned away from the glass with a look of defiance. "He was never Remy nor will he ever be Remy."  
  
Logan sighed. "We know, darlin'...will you two be okay until we're back?"  
  
"Fine,"she mumbled but it sounded like she was struggling to convince herself. "Just go, all of ya. Bring 'em back. The sooner they're back, the sooner this can end."  
  
Corey tuned out of their coversation as he studied the paper with Kellie. Their list wasn't really all that long. It held four mutants. Jubilee, Iceman, Banshee, and Blockbuster. Their vital stats were listed below; it wasn't much but at least two of their people were once X-men while the other two had been part of several 'worse for wear' groups.  
  
"Ready to do this, Image?"Kellie asked, standing and leafing through the papers. She stopped on Jubilee. "It's a kid. How much trouble could this one be...?"  
  
DOWNTOWN AREA 11:30 a.m.  
  
"Pyro. What kind of a mutant name is Pyro?" Julius climbed off his motorcycle and scanned the surrounding area with a look of pure contempt. He barely acknowledged Angel's prescence.  
  
"Before you go into one of your rages, Misery-Pyro's real name is St. John Allerdyce and according to this...he can psionically manipulate the flame to do whatever he desires. Pyro's fiery creations have greater solidity than normal flame; hence a giant "bird" he created from fire could grasp and carry a solid object with its claws. The degree of Pyro's concentration necessary to manipulate a flame being is directly proportional to the being's size, power, and flame,"she read from the paper with a look of interest. She held it up a moment. "Australian born and writes torrid Gothic romances. I love Aussies."  
  
"Give it a rest, Demon. Who else do we have?" He took the list from her hand without bothering to wait for an answer; he scanned it. Her excitement over the Australian cloned mutant irritated him. "Jean Grey-telekenetic? Riptide and Arclight? Where do these people get their names...?"  
  
"I don't know, Misery. We can start with either Pyro and Jean Grey. Which would you prefer?"  
  
"Let's find the Australian flame addict who writes torrid Gothic romances,"he said with a cheerfulness that he didn't feel. He was stuck with the plague with a broken wrist, searching for mutants that seemed like they'd rather, or were better off, not to be found. "We'll work on the others later. You really like Australians?"  
  
"Hell yeah! Their accents are the best."  
  
EX-BROTHERHOOD HEADQUARTERS 11:33 a.m.  
  
"Wanna remind me again what we're doing here? This place has been abandoned for almost twenty-eight-years,"Russ pointed out, gesturing toward the run-down building before them. It's roof was sagging, paint was peeling, the lawn was over grown with weeds and other things but littered with garbage and and the remains of furniture. "Who in their right minds would stay here?"  
  
Tara looked down at the papers she held then shuffled them, pointing to something written on each page. "Every one of these mutants is former Brotherhood of Evil Mutants from some point or another. If you were back in a strange time and didn't know anything...where would you retreat to?"she asked as she studied the names. Toad, Mystique, and Quicksilver.   
  
Toad A.K.A. Mortimer Toynbee. Where she'd gotten her last name from once she'd legally had it changed. It had been a random name but it had also given her the codename she kept. Tadpole. Toad had been an inspiration to her and she'd much wanted something to remember him by. This meeting was not what she had in mind.  
  
"I'd go home."  
  
"Exactly. If they turn up like Gambit and Beast then my guess is they're unaware of the time change and to them, it's the same year of their deaths. None of them know they're clones or anything else...get it, Sabbath?"  
  
Russ nodded and squinted at the house. "I got it, Tadpole. Which one would that be?"he asked, nodding toward a strikingly handsome man around six foot with silver eyes and shocking white hair.  
  
"QuickSilver...Pietro Maximoff."  
  
SIGHT OF MUTANT HANGINGS 11:36 a.m.  
  
"Iceman and Jubilee were picked up somewhere around here by authorities according to this report. When an unknown, even to them, stranger stepped forward and paid bail, the two simply vanished...it's like they don't exist." Kellie scanned the report in a desperate attempt to find some clue on what to do.   
  
"Pick up? As in police-wise?"Corey asked, shielding his eyes with one hand to look around. He didn't see any sign of anyone fitting the descriptions or the pictures attached to these files. There was no one. An odd twist.   
  
"I'm guessing. Then there's Riptide and Blockbuster...they just seem to be your general, should-be-in-the-bin, running-free psychos." She shrugged.   
  
"Running-free psychos? How fun,"he said with a good bit of sarcasm, beginning to make his way over toward the stage. Barely 24 hours earlier they'd watched a mutant hung and were now looking for others. He stepped onto the stage then looked down, feeling something stick to his shoe. He lifted one foot then sighed at the sight of bright pink bubble gum. "Did it say something about excessive gum-chewing?"  
  
"Yeah. Jubilee had a thing for gum; why?"  
  
"I found some of it. Pink gum. They're around here. Somewhere."  
  
X-MANSION 11:39 a.m.  
  
She cleared her throat.  
  
Remy's head shot up before he turned back to gazing at what had caught his fancy for the last few hours. His own grave. Or the original him.  
  
"Yes, chere?"he asked without looking away again. His hands were clenched into tight fists around the blades of grass and dirt heaps beneathe them. He wasn't crying but there was anger and anguish in his red on black eyes.  
  
Rogue knelt beside him but deliberately kept from touching him. She rested one hand against her knees and the other in the fresh dirt. "I loved him." She said it like it was the simplest thing ever.  
  
"I--Remy loved y'. It's in his memories,"he answered, slowly, bringing one hand up to his head and tapping there. His hand dropped almost instantly. "Y'suffered a lot together."  
  
"I almost killed him more than once and he would have let himself die for me..." Her voice trailed off into quiet sobbing. Tears ran, freely, down her cheeks in streams. "I was stupid. I always doubted that he could love me. Only me. I was wrong and stupid."  
  
"Remy did love y'. He never regretted loving de untouchable Rogue or that he couldn' touch her." His hand touched hers; it was cold and waxy. She jerked away from his touch.   
  
"Don't touch me, Please don't play him right now...it's hard enough,"she whispered, stroking one hand across the dirt. Her gloves scraped against the dirt, roughly but he could tell it wasn't important to her.   
  
"I'm sorry, Rogue. It's what he and I have...I can' just not live his memories and emotions. In every way that counts, I am Gambit."  
  
She rose in a flash, rubbing at the tears in her eyes. "No! You're not! No one will EVER be Gambit except him...and he's dead. I killed him,"she said before tears began again. They flowed in waves.  
  
"What..?" His expression showed confusion.  
  
"I kill him. When the riot started, we were prepared, we could have fought them off...I left the lines. Remy asked where I was going but I never answer..." Her voice took on a hollow, broken tone.  
  
"Where did y'go, chere?"  
  
"There was a little girl. She was a beautiful child. Black-haired, blue-eyed dressed in her Sunday Best with those little black shoes girls wore. No one seemed to notice her; she was terrified and crying." Rogue stopped for a moment and ran her hand through the dirt again. "I went to help her. She couldn't be harmful at her age but once I returned her to safety, the entrance to the giant library, it was over. The last thing I saw was Remy's eyes, pleading with me to save him. I didn't; I couldn't."  
  
"Remy never blamed y'."  
  
"How do you know? You only have his memories not the truth...you don't know nuthin."  
  
Remy's hand pressed against the side of her face while he rubbed the hard line of her jaw with his thumb, pressing lightly until it softened. "He loved you for carin' enough to save the petite...it was the memory he kept. Forever." 


	22. Reality's a Bitch FIRST THREE

A/N:Sorry, Ellie, but you won't see every single moment of captures. There will be bits and pieces but never the full thing. I will show as much as possible especially on the easy ones but several of these have been killed (the clones); I won't show everything. Sorry but enjoy.  
  
DOWNTOWN AREA 11:55 a.m.  
  
Angel dragged one of her hands through her hair before wrapping a black rubber band around it and tuning back into Julius. She continued to walk with him, ignoring his continuous talking; her eyes were on the windows of the shops they passed.  
  
"Couldn't they have included the current location of or would that be asking too much? I mean, how hard can a guy that controls fire be to find? Seriously, think about it." Julius kicked a can, sending it clattering into the street. He stared after it a moment then continued walking. "He's Australian on top of that. How many Australians live in New York?"  
  
"I don't know, Julius." Something in one of the windows of a book shop caught her attention. She froze, staring at the book. "What was Pyro's real name again?"  
  
"St. John Allerdyce. Why? You thinking of starting a relationship with him...?"  
  
She took in an irritated breathe, trying to ignore the double-edged meaning. "No, Misery, and stop making those kind of comments. Obviously, our Australian fire addict is a famous novelist,"she said, smirking, gesturing toward the window where a large volume romance novel rested.  
  
The Devil's Promise. John Allerdyce.  
  
"What the hell?" He turned back and stopped beside her, staring at the book's cover. He stared a moment then took her arm and yanked her into the shop, going straight to the clerk. "Excuse me...uh.." He stared at her shirt a moment then put on a charming smile. "Catlin, my sister and I are looking for information on John Allerdyce. It's for our school newspaper...do you know how we could reach him?"  
  
"I'm sorry but no." She blushed slightly red when Julius cast her another look.  
  
Angel rolled her eyes and jerked her arm away, walking over to a display of John Allerdyce books. She thumbed through several just to see what he wrote about then decided to purchase one as a sort of 'element of truth'. She picked up a book then flipped through before walking up to the check-out counter and Julius' flirtation with the checker.  
  
"I'd like to buy this,"she said, ignoring Julius' raised eyebrow and irritated expression.  
  
"That's not neccessary, little sister."  
  
She gave him an innocent smile then paid for the book, thanked the sales clerk, and walked out, already thumbing through the pages. She pretended not to notice when Julius came up to her side but continued to thumb through the pages.  
  
"Was it neccessary to buy the book, Angel?"  
  
"Yep. Most writers will write what they know. For instance, John writes about people living in what he calls 'manors'; more than likely a manor would be a smaller version of a mansion.... he also has a thing for gardens with bright flowers. Sound familiar?" She turned the book over and pointed at the back cover where his biography rested. She tapped the word. "He lives in New York....probably visits some garden once in awhile."  
  
"Madison Square Garden?"  
  
"What do you think? His characters are strange, too....they sound familiar." She read the novel's summary while walking back the direction they'd come.  
  
"What do you mean? How do they sound familar?" Julius took the novel from her and began to read the book, narrowly avoiding running into a light pole. She caught hold of his jacket, holding into it so he wouldn't walk into the street or into anything or anyone else.  
  
Angel held up a finger to wait a moment then turned down the street where they'd left his bike, crossing quickly and yanking him along. "Amioyre's past. She's cursed by the gods with the ability that touching a person turns them to stone for being beautiful. Know anyone else that can't touch?"she asked, stopping upon reaching his bike.   
  
"Rogue...?"  
  
"Exactly. Now read Hamion's past. He's a hybrid of his mother communing and screwing the devil. His eyes are solid black but glow red when he's upset; he loves Amioyre despite her past."  
  
"Gambit..?"  
  
"I knew you were smart." Angel patted the top of his head. She took her book back and shoved it into one of her pockets; it wasn't that hard since the pockets were majority of the leg's room. "John wrote about the X-Men and probably the brotherhood, too, without the mutant bits. Do you get it now?"  
  
"We're suppoused to find and kill a guy that writes romance novels from people he knows lives?" The disgust in his voice was obvious. It irritated Angel.  
  
"Let's just go, Misery. I'd really hate to make you late for an appointment to torment someone else with your attitude."  
  
"Shut up, Shatter."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"Don't tempt me."  
  
Angel gave up only because she wanted to get this over and done with. Her idea of how to spend the day didn't include racing all over town to find mutant clones; it seemed to be heading that way, though.   
  
"Are we going?"Julius asked, smiling at her in a way that showed, he knew, he'd won.  
  
"Yeah...we're going. You'd better drive safely..."  
  
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 12:30 p.m.  
  
"John Allerdyce?"   
  
Julius barely avoided rolling his eyes at Angel's voice. It was a stupid question. The picture in his file, plainly, identified him as John Allerdyce or Pyro. It was a stupid question.  
  
His head came up. His hair was blonde and his eyes blue but other than that he appeared normal...until one noticed the lighter that kept flicking open and closed in his hand and that he was intent upon writing in the giant binder in front of him. His eyes were immediately suspicious.  
  
"Yes, shelia?"  
  
Angel faltered at that point. She didn't say anything but didn't look away from him either.  
  
"Ah for hell's sake. We're here to take you away...you're not the real St. John Allerdyce,"Julius said, moving forward until he was right in front of him. Angel hadn't moved yet.  
  
"Excuse me?" John pushed aside his binder and things then stood, taking up his lighter in a tighter grip again. His expression showed even further distrust but he didn't look away from Angel. "I think you two are mistaken, mate."  
  
"John, you're not a real person,"she said, finally breaking her silence but not moving. She stood where she was with barely a glance at Julius; her attention was fully on their Australian clone. "You were cloned from the original St. John Allerdyce. You have his memories and new ones that you've created..."  
  
"You've lost me, shelia, I am real."  
  
"No, you're not. Do you remember the sixties, seventies, eighties, or nineties?"she asked, making Julius wonder how she knew anything about the first two times. She was only seventeen, too young to have lived through them.  
  
John seemed lost in thought a moment then shook his head. "No, but I've always had problems with my memory. I don't even remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday,"he said, giving them a smile before turning away. He picked up his binder. "Now if you'll excuse me...I have a novel to finish."  
  
Wrong.  
  
Julius forced a light pole to bend forward to the ground and wrap itself around him. He smirked and gave a mock bow. Bad move on his part.  
  
The once happy going John was replaced by a darker expressioned one. "You will be very sorry for that, mate. Did you know there was a reason they called me Pyro?"he demanded, beginning to create a large mass of fire from lighter. It shifted slowly as his hands moved, forming a large bird. A crow. "You see, mate. Pyrokenesis makes a good weapon."  
  
"John, we just want to help you,"Angel said without moving but her gaze had gone to the giant fire bird. Her next words weren't spoken aloud but sent to Julius' mind.  
  
~Let him go, Julius. He might calm down if we talk to him.~  
  
~You're crazy. If I let him go, he'll kill us both.~  
  
Her voice took on an irritated tone. ~No. You threatened him. I don't....would you just trust me?~  
  
~No.~  
  
~Julius.~  
  
~No.~  
  
"What are you going to do, Pyro? I believe we outnumber you..."   
  
"That's where you'd be wrong, Misery,"Angel said, settling down on one of the nearby benches. She took out her book and opened it to the first page, beginning to read. "When you learn about teamwork, I'll help. Otherwise I'll be reading The Devil's Bargain."  
  
"Shatter!"  
  
She flipped the page, crossing one leg over the other as she read.  
  
Pyro's expression shifted to her for a moment then he smiled. "I think I like her, mate. The shelia avaliable...?"  
  
Julius scowled and in the same instant several sidewalks began to crack and the street signs came up.   
  
The bird attacked. It swooped down and picked up Julius then tossed him across the room as several nearby benches uprooted themselves. Angel still didn't move.  
  
I swear if we both live through this I'm going to kill her, he thought as he climbed to his feet, unsteadily, and threw one of the sign posts at Pyro's chest, pointed end forward.   
  
At the last second the fire bird swept forward, captured the pole, and flung it uselessly to the side. It rammed into the wall, driving itself through one billowing half of Julius' trenchcoat and pinning it there.  
  
"That's enough!" Angel's voice stopped the fire bird in midair, drew Pyro's attention, and earned several curses from Julius. She stood, placing her book down and walked to Pyro; she forced the metal to unwrap itself then motioned to Julius. "Let him go, too. This is stupid."  
  
"Of course, shelia." At Pyro's command, the bird retrieved it's stake before vanishing back into the lighter's mouth as he held it. Several passer bys had stopped to stare at the scene; their gazes focused on the three mutants.  
  
Julius clenched into tight fists as he stalked over to Angel. She didn't back down but met him head-on with a glare of her own. Her arms rested, hands open, at her sides while they faced off.  
  
"You want teamwork?"he demanded through clenched teeth, bringing one hand up.  
  
She visibly flinched but didn't move either. "Don't you dare hit me, Kanteon,"she said, her voice low and holding a threat.   
  
His hand dropped to his side. He wasn't sure of he'd actually planned to hit her or not; he didn't think he had. He wouldn't do that. She deserved it but he wouldn't do it.  
  
"Is there somewhere we can talk...more privately?" Angel turned away from him but not before he saw the relief in her eyes. She wasn't as tough as she played it off. Her face was pale against the darker make-up she wore and her hands shook slightly.  
  
John returned and nodded. "Yes. We should go if we plan to get there soon. I'm walking, mates."  
  
"I'm not leaving my motorcycle."  
  
"Fine. I'll walk with John and you can ride your motorcycle along with us, okay?" She retrieved her novel then walked to John. She held out one hand to him then shook his. "We know a few friends of yours...what we're telling you isn't a lie."  
  
"We'll see, shelia, we'll see. What is your name, shelia?"  
  
Julius noticed her hesitation and silently prayed she wouldn't give her real name.   
  
"Shatter. I can't give you my real name...I'm sorry."  
  
He smiled and took up his items, beginning to walk. "That's quite alright, shelia. I'm quite interested in these friends of mine,"he said as she fell into step with him.   
  
A siren sounded in the distance.  
  
"On second thought, run." John took hold of one of her hands and took off running across the square, taking several back alleys. The sound of Julius' motorcyle followed them through first the city then into a much more 'advanced' part of town; an empty driveway came into view. He darted up it, yanking her along without further comment.  
  
"Wait,"Julius yelled, speeding up so he could pull in front of them, cutting off their movement. He barely noticed when both pulled to a sudden stop. "I don't trust this guy, Shatter. How do we know it isn't a trap?"  
  
Angel thought a moment then released his hand stepping over to Julius' side. "He's right."  
  
"Of course, shelia..." He removed his lighter and tossed it aside, holding up his hands. "I want to know the truth. How can I be real yet know so much about myself, others, and what happened?"  
  
They stood in silence for a moment. John kept his hands up. Angel shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Julius waited for one of them to speak.  
  
Angel broke their silence. "Do you remember dying, John? It was years ago but you should remember that,"she said, quietly without looking away from her feet.  
  
He shook his head. "I remember something about a giant room and...I remember Gambit, yelling something. It wasn't very nice, I knew, and I don't even speak french....My old mate was just kind of sad through the whole thing."  
  
"Can we get on with this? You've not our only mutant...we've got four others."  
  
John's attention immediately honed in on Julius. "Oh? Like who, mate?"  
  
"Jean Grey, Arclight, and Riptide...know where we could find them?"he demanded, standing but not moving more than a few inches from Angel. He made a point to keep one hand so that he could easily reach her should she or John try something. "Any of them at all?"  
  
He laughed, a strong, hearty laugh. "Jean Grey. I have something for you to look at, shelia,"he said, addressing Angel rather than the speaker.   
  
"We'd like to see it, John. Would you be willing to die again...?"she asked, even quieter than before. Her voice was almost in audible but Julius knew he'd heard it from the stiffening of his back.  
  
"I can't agree to that, Angel, shelia." He went inside then emerged moments later with a newspaper. He held it out, allowing them to read one of the headlines. It was huge.   
  
WOMAN CHECKS SELF INTO MENTAL INSTITUTE, CLAMING 'RE-BIRTH'  
  
The story went on to tell of a woman named Jean Grey-Summers who checked herself into a mental institution after being arrested by police for claiming a 're-birth'. It was, at first, thought to be meant in a religious way until the woman began raving about phoenixs and fiery accidents. Facts are questionable as is the source of information.  
  
"So...she's in the nuthouse?" Julius smirked at his own word usage.  
  
Angel shot him a glare. "Shit. We get to check a lady out of the mental hospital; oh, joy, oh, rapture."  
  
"If, and that's if, I decide to die again...will you honor one request?" John's expression gave away nothing.   
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Keep an eye on my novels. I should have another four coming out within the next year...my agent's working with them." He turned away and began to walk back toward them; he stopped on the front porch. "It's hell to get famous then learn you're dead, you know, mates?"  
  
"So when will you be ready?"Julius demanded, ignoring the friendly exchange between the two. It irritated him taht the conversation was going so sappy or that Angel actually seemed willing to honor his request.   
  
John shrugged. "I'll just report myself, mate. I know where to find the X-men...who else was cloned?"  
  
"..Gambit, Beast, Mystique, Quicksilver, Toad...."  
  
His smiled broaded. "I've missed my cajun mate. I'll be sure to show up on time...it's still hard to swallow." He went inside, closing the door between them. It was a final ending to their conversation.   
  
It hadn't worked out at all how Julius planned. He'd figured these mutants would be hell bent on staying but it seemed they weren't. They accepted it too well to be normal; something else was wrong, too. None of them remembered much about dying. It was as if the memories starting with the moment that killed them were erased.   
  
"Do you notice that no one's put up a struggle? Hank and Remy showed no real emotion and this guy, basically, said he'd give himself up.." Julius faced Angel while mulling over this tidbit of information.  
  
She nodded. "It's like they don't want to exist. Jean Grey?"  
  
He nodded, slowly. "Keep that paper. We're going to the psych ward,"he said with a smile. He stared up for a moment then shrugged. "We need a change of vehicle to pull this one off..."  
  
DOWNTOWN AREA 12:25 p.m.  
  
"It's impossible!" Kellie slammed her fist into the nearby brick wall but felt no pain from it. It didn't do anything but stare back at her. "Funny, Corey, we're not playing this."  
  
"Playing what?"Corey asked, smirking at her irritation with his imagery. He ignored her glare and vanished the brick wall to leave empty space. "I just figured that it would be better to make you hit an image then a real brick wall, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you always have to make those images to cover things? What if I'd prefer to hit a real brick wall...?"  
  
"Be my guest..." He stepped back, allowing her access to the wall behind him. Her hand flexed but she shoved it into her pocket along with the other one.  
  
"I'm starting to regret this." Her voice changed, suddenly. "Jubilee!"  
  
Corey's head shot up at the usage of the 'young' mutant's name. He scanned the area then made a motion with one hand to wait. His hands came up to stop Kellie from running off.  
  
"What are you waiting for? Come on; we've found them!"  
  
"Wait. They're not just going to stop for any old person that claims to 'know the truth about their identies',"he said, as thought that explained everything. He knew it didn't.  
  
Kellie folded her arms and stared at him, working with the strap of one glove. She undid the strap then started to pull it off; she only made it halfway before he spoke again.  
  
"I can control their minds to see each other instead of us. Jubilee will see yours truly as Bobby while he sees you as her...simple, isn't it?"  
  
She chewed on her bottom lip. "Can you maintain the images even with the distance apart that we'd be?"she asked but she knew she was giving in. It would be so much easier to convince the two to trust a friend then someone new; it would be easy but... "If we're on, say, opposite parts of town?"  
  
"Unless you somehow break out of my image then yes, I can maintain them both. Equally."  
  
Hesitance, from her, again. "Okay."  
  
"Okay?"Corey repeated, pretending not to understand. The look of triumph in his eyes said that he understood, perfectly.   
  
"Do it but...if anything happens, I will hurt you."  
  
He gave a mock salute then concentrated, drawing the images up in the subconsciences of his subjects. It took a few moments to enter their minds completely and train them to see things diffrently. It wasn't a large change but to them, friends would appear as enemies and enemies would appear as friends. His move was dangerous but neccessary. He hadn't mentioned how competlely he altered their minds to Kellie, nor did he plan to.  
  
Within ten minutes, he'd spotted Jubilation Lee or Jubilee among a throng of passing people. She was easy to find with her short black hair and bright yellow trenchcoat; it made her a stand-out even among New York citizens.  
  
"Jubilee!"  
  
Her head turned and a smile almost brightened through the stormy expression on her face. She hurried over, stopping beside him, slightly out of breathe and panting. "Where've you been, Bobby?"she demanded, crossing her arms and glaring at him like the child she resembled.  
  
He adopted a dumbfounded expression. "Were we suppoused to meet?"  
  
She sighed, blowing several strands of black hair from her face that over hung there. "Yeah. We always meet at eleven-thirty to have lunch with Jake or did you suddenly forget that?" She noticed he wasn't paying complete attention to her. Her voice took on a whining tone. "Bobby."  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just...I-I saw something that you should, uh, see,"he said, stumbling over his words while thinking up the story. It was all that he could come up with but it would have to work. Otherwise, he was screwed.  
  
Kellie would kill him. The X-men would kill him. Lastly, the other alliance members would kill him. He died either way. It wasn't his idea of how to die; three times for the same thing.  
  
"I don't know." She nervously chewed on the wad of pink gum in her mouth, popping it several times. Bubbles came forward from the sticky mass while she tapped the fingers of one hand against her chin. "Jake wasn't happy that you missed lunch."  
  
"Please, Jubilee? It won't take long."  
  
"Will we be back by four-thirty? I'm suppoused to help Jake with the store..." Her expression was still a mixture of confusion but trust in her friend. It made him feel a little bad, a little.   
  
"Of course we'll be back, Jubes. Please?" He created the nickname out of nowhere.  
  
She shrugged. "Sure, why not?"  
  
In another part of town, Kellie walked through the streets and silently cursed out Corey, repeatedly, and in several other languages that she made up. She gave up on the streets when there turned up nothing even remotely similar to their mutant clone; a park came into her view.  
  
A voice drew her attention. "I knew there was a reason I hated water. It always reminded me of Rogue,"the voice scowled, drawing her attention toward the nearby pond.  
  
Bobby Drake or Iceman stood at it's ledge, overlooking the water with a scowl.   
  
"Bobby!" She sprinted across the park and over to him, smiling. She brushed some of her hair away without thinking that it might not look like a Jubilee's move. "I was looking for you."  
  
He shrugged. "I was thinking."  
  
"What about?"she asked, staring down at the water. To herself, she looked like Kellie but she knew, he didn't, that to Bobby she resembled Jubilee. "Or is it none of my business?"  
  
"It doesn't matter if you know or not. Where are the others?"   
  
She blinked, confused. "Others?"  
  
"The other X-Men. The Brotherhood. Anyone...why aren't there other mutants?"  
  
"Maybe we just haven't found them,"she said, honesty in her voice. It was the truth.  
  
Bobby's head shot up, meeting her gaze with his own icy blue one. "Do you know something, Jubilee?"he asked, holding her gaze through the conversation.  
  
"Yeah. I think you should see and hear them out like I did."  
  
He hesitated. "Hear who out?"  
  
She threw out the line and waited for him to take the bait. "I've found one of the other X-Men,"she answered. She cast around inside her mind for a name that would pull him in. "Rogue."  
  
He took the bait from his expression. "Rogue..." 


	23. Who's happy to be a clone? NEXT FOUR

A/N: They'll be brownie points given to anyone that can figure out who the guy with the brotherhood is BEFORE his name is mentioned. It's not a hard decision if you've read anything else by me..he's an original or mine and often has something wrong with him. Think, people.  
  
JANUARY 23, 2005 11:05 p.m.  
  
"How's she doing?"  
  
"She's fine, Vel."  
  
"And at the moment where is she...?"  
  
"Out with another of the alliance members. They're working on something for Hank."  
  
"And you're not with her?" He was obviously angry.  
  
"No, I figured she deserved some freedom. Julius' taking care of he--"  
  
"Julius Kanteon? No."  
  
"No what, Vel?"  
  
"Keep Angel away from him. I've looked into their backgrounds and I don't want her involved with him; in any way."  
  
"You looked into their backgrounds? They're not serial killers and rapists, Vel! They're kids, young adults...stop being paranoid."  
  
"Anything happens to Angel or Tara, you take the consequences."  
  
"Nothing will happen."   
  
"I'm serious, Nanaki." The reciever slammed down in response without another word.   
  
EX-BROTHERHOOD HEADQUARTERS (INSIDE) 11:45 a.m.  
  
"Sabbath. Sabbath..?" Tara froze in midstep, waiting for some reply from him. None came. It wasn't unusual especially since he'd developed a habit of ignoring her. A lot of people did after a short amount of time. "Fine. You can deal with Quicksilver alone."  
  
The sound of footsteps behind her drew her attention and she ducked under a staircase, holding there as they approached closer. "It's not my fault that the Marauders vanished. I had better things to do then baby-sit the lot of them. Mystique was watching, wasn't she?"demanded one voice as they appeared.  
  
The person attached to the voice was unrecognizable. He was about the same heigth as his commrad but looked younger; he was dressed in jeans, a black shirt, and a dark brown leather-like jacket. He wasn't among their list or even any of the mutants they'd looked through.  
  
"Of course, but Mystique's hardly what I'd call reliable." Tara had to look twice. In front of her, but with her hidden, was another Pietro. He looked identical to the one outside in every way even clothed. "There were reasons I had some qualms over bringing her here."  
  
His 'friend' chose to ignore that statement. "And this all concerns me how?"  
  
"Interesting report. Mystique mentioned a group of kids, older kids at the hanging. She described one as being overly emotional, another claimed the girl had a weak stomache...I want you to find out about these people. Who they are, what they want, and why they were there."  
  
"I get to chase the strange people, Pietro? Thank you so much..." His expression plainly said he had other things in mind besides finding a strange group of kids.   
  
"Stop being a smart ass. I have to deal with Toad...you find them."  
  
Pietro raced off, leaving his friend in the same spot. He, himself, vanished upstairs without a backward glance.  
  
"I'm starting to hate these people. Do this, do that. Put up with Mystique's temper; deal with Toad's constant depression over what he doesn't remember." He started to stalk off but stopped all of a sudden, looking around.   
  
Tara tensed, backing away further into the darkness the stairs provided. She held her breathe to keep from making a sound but waited, ready to strike if he found her; a tongue the length of hers was a good thing.   
  
"I think someone wants to play Hide-and-Seek,"the remaining one said quietly, walking backwards for a few moments. He stopped to face the stairs; he stayed a moment then looked directly at her. "Is there something I could help you with...?"  
  
I think I can use this to my advantage. Maybe, just maybe, I can play a game with his thoughts. If I can convince him that I'm a relative of Toad maybe I could get through and talk to him. His depression had to be over the deaths that none of them can remember.  
  
She stepped forward from the darkness, making sure he saw her features, clearly. "I want to see Mortimer Toynbee."  
  
"And who would you be to make those requests, girl?"he asked without the slightest bit of attention to her except a quick once-over. "You don't look like the typical kind he plays with."  
  
"I'm his sister."  
  
His eyes nearly bugged out. "Toad's s-sister?"  
  
"Yeah, his sister." She glared at him, hoping that he'd give in and take her to her so-called brother. He just studied her as if needing further proof. Her point was proved with his next words.  
  
"Prove it."  
  
She relayed the information she could about him including his estimated birthdate, full name, and just about every other statistic, inlcuding his appearance.  
  
The guy nodded. "Alright. Follow me,"he said, shoving his hands into his pockets and starting up the stairs.  
  
Tara followed, slowly. "What's your name...?"  
  
"Landon." He offered no last name; she didn't ask for one. They walked upstairs and toward a bank of bedrooms in a run down hall. Tara tried not to cringe. The place was tacky and even more out of care then the circus had once been. "You?"  
  
"Tara Toynbee."  
  
"Why haven't you been around before?"Landon asked, continuing his third degree. They approached one of the bedrooms.  
  
She fished around then gave the only answer she could. "I didn't find out until recently. My parents gave me up as a kid; I was part of a circus for awhile...it took until now to find my brother,"she said, feeling guilty for the lie but thankful she'd taken on his last name.   
  
"Sounds tough." He offered no explanation of his own background but hit his fist against one of the doors. It rattled and shook on it's hinges. "Toad, visitor!"  
  
Pietro answered the door, looking none too pleased at the interruption. "Who's here? They can wait."  
  
Tara glared at the guy, hating him already. "I'm Tara Toynbee. Your friend, in there, is my brother."  
  
He laughed here, long and hard. "Yeah, sure, kid. Run along."  
  
Maybe I need to prove it to him in a different way. Before he could react and move even with his quick speed, Tara flung out her tongue and wrapped it around his neck, squeezing. "I. Want. To. See. My. Brother. Now."  
  
A third voice interrupted them. "It's okay, Pietro. I'll see her,"it said, giving nothing away about the person except the person wasn't happy. Nothing else could be decided from just the voice but there was little to no authority in it.   
  
"Right. Take care of this then meet downstairs. Mystique has something to talk to us about..." Pietro left, forgetting Landon and leaving him alone. He shrugged then went into one of the bedrooms down the hall, closing the door.   
  
Tara entered Toad's room, looking around. There was nothing unique about the room except for it's blankness. It was impossible to tell the paint color or what color any furniture was; most places were bare of carpet or just plain worn out.  
  
"I guess you're aware that I'm not your sister?"she asked to start their conversation.  
  
"Yeah. I don't think my parents would have had another kid, knowing it might end up like me. What is your name...?"  
  
"Tara Toynbee. I kind of took your last name awhile back...I knew you were like me; a hybrid-like mutant,"she explained, twisting one of her hands around behind her back. She forced it to remain still and studied him. "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you like the others?"  
  
Toad sighed. "It's complicated. There's things that I remember that no one else does...it's like there's something that happened and it's been erased, but I remember it. Somehow, sometime, I died."  
  
She nodded. "Yes, you did."  
  
"So you know about me...?" He looked and sounded like someone that had found something they'd lost but didn't know what to do with it. He didn't stand or look at her. "What happened?"  
  
"You're not real, Toad. You're a clone..."  
  
PUBLIC LIBRARY (OBITUARY AND DEATH CERTIFICATE SECTIONS) 12:00 p.m.  
  
"Here it is." Kellie tapped the book in front of her, coughing when a wave of dust rose and filled her mouth. She gagged a moment then wiped her mouth with the back of one gloved hand. "Obituary for Sean Cassidy or Banshee."  
  
Corey came over to stand by her, abandoning his own volume of death announcements. He read the one she'd stopped on and pointed out, nodding every few moments.  
  
"Is it him?"  
  
"It's him. Read the stats...his birthdate matches ours along with the picture. Apparantly, he's been dead around a year..." Her voice trailed off and she returned to their print out.  
  
"Around a year? He would be out of synch with the others. He'd have to be around before them, wouldn't he?" Corey took the print out to study.  
  
She shrugged. "Maybe unless the others have wandered. It could be that Remy and Hank had some issues with finding their way 'home', if you will, and took longer to return then you'd think."  
  
"But Banshee is officially ruled as deceased?"  
  
Kellie nodded then removed a black marker, writing across his information in bold letters DECEASED.  
  
"I don't think they'll have a problem reading it,"he said, sarcastically, staring at the large words. She gave him an unKellie-like smile but gave no response. "Who's next?"  
  
"Riptide."  
  
EX-BROTHERHOOD HEADQUARTERS (OUTSIDE) 12:15 p.m.  
  
Russ cringed at the sound of something snapping in his arm. It hurt worse then it should have, even worse then the time he'd torn a bunch of tendons while fighting with Julius. Training, not fighting, even though, it had become one.  
  
"Maybe I should have let Tara stay around to help me,"he groaned, charging a nearby handful of rocks and tossing them toward the advancing 'werewolf'. He was huge with blonde fur, a nasty expression, and 'fangs' complete with a growling noise.  
  
Mystique was having quite the fun with him.  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that you've not real. You were cloned from the real Mystique." Mystique, apparantly, wasn't pleased with the answer and threw him against another wall, holding him there by his throat.  
  
He gagged, struggling against the large, blonde-furred arm that gripped and cut off his air. He fought with himself a moment then gripped one hand around a handful of fur then concentrated on charging it. The fur glowed purple then in the next instant, she/he was flying across the room.   
  
With a final roar, the giant slammed into the nearby, half wall; the wall rattled then broke in several other places, sending a shower of dust and brick inside. It rained down like icy hail, earning something like shouting from the inside occupants. The giant changed into a blue woman with bright red hair, dressed in white with a 'skull' belt; she remained there a moment.  
  
"What's going on our here?" The second voice was now familiar. Quicksilver had arrived and was trying to help Mystique up.  
  
Tara appeared at an upstairs window with another frog-like mutant. She shook her head a moment then tried to mouth something. It took another two attempts before he recognized it.  
  
Toad knows. What about those two?  
  
Russ sent her a scowl and started to lift an arm, realizing that it hurt; it fell to his side, causing him to grimace and cry out, quietly, in pain. He noticed Mystique was now up with Pietro's help even though she appeared a little worse for wear and wasn't moving much.  
  
"What's this about cloning?"Quicksilver demanded, glancing away from Russ toward the new arrivals; his expression was even more confused by the sight of the two frog-like mutants. His attentioned lingered longer on Tara then he scowled. "LANDON!"  
  
There was no response from upstairs except for a sheet of paper floating down from one of the windows. It was blank and charred in some places as though someone was playing with a lighter around the edges. Feathering, not really burning.  
  
"LANDON KELLER!"  
  
Still no response beyond a few similar sheets of paper.  
  
Russ scowled and forced himself to stand, ignoring the pain he felt. His arm hung at one side, limply and he felt severe bruising around his jaw and lower cheekbone; he scowled, grimacing at the motion.  
  
"Scientists got a bright idea after the death of the mutant populations. They decided to clone mutants and allow them to run free, erasing the moments of their death...they have nothing left of it,"he said but stopped realizing that their attention wasn't on him. The two had begun to walk away.  
  
Toad's voice stopped them. "I remember."  
  
"What do you remember, Toad?"Mystique replied in a slurred voice without moving from her supporter's arm.  
  
"Dying. It's still here; I think I somehow replaced the memories they used or restored them to their original form. I can remember dying and the short time before...do you remember the riot, the mutant war?"  
  
One shake of the head and a silence later, he continued. "There was a sudden war against mutants. It involved one of the senators; he wanted to end mutants exsistence. They came and none of us were ready...Magneto and Xavier were discussing a basic peace treaty while this was going on. It was never revolved. Everyone died except Rogue, she left the line-up, and Logan, he wasn't there." His expression was hopeless and his eyes sad.  
  
"Is Landon real...?" Mystique's question.  
  
Tara nodded. "As far as we can see, he's real. His birth certificate's unattainable, but he's not listed among the known mutants. He's in the new list, a list of mutants that are over the age of ten."  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
Russ realized it with a sick feeling. "Another list."  
  
XAVIER'S INSTITUTE (REBUILT) 3:45 p.m.  
  
"I assume everything's going alright?"Rogue asked without looking away from the book she was thumbing through. Her full attention was on the book instead of out the window, watching Remy's clone.  
  
Russ laughed then grimaced when the motion caused him pain. He returned to trying to eat with his better hand; he was barely getting anything into his mouth.   
  
"Let me get this straight,"Julius started, looking up from his food. He was busy stuffing his mouth but stopped to continue. "Sabbath, here, got beat up by a cloned shapeshifter?"  
  
"Back off, Misery,"came the response through clenched teeth. His fork fell from his hand again, causing him to expel a long sigh. "You try fighting a werwolf that towered over you and had fangs plus double or triple the strength of Logan."  
  
"If you go see Hank, he'll give you something to help the bones heal faster,"Tara said, offering her opinon for the first time. She was intent upon her sandwich, though, she ate very little of it. Her chips were also for the majority uneaten. Something was off with her.  
  
Probably still having some problems with the whole Toad thing, Russ thought, trying again to eat. He gave up and shoved his chair back, walking out and toward the med lab. His back and arm were hurting and he knew one side of his face was bruising. He wished, repeatedly, that he'd taken Tara's offer to 'work together rather than seperate'; he was an idiot.  
  
~Don't be hard on yourself, Russ. I've still got the broken wrist that Kanteon gave me...you did a good job.~ Angel's encouragement wasn't helping much.  
  
~Leave me alone, Angel.~  
  
~I'm trying to help.~ Her voice had taken on a defensive tone.  
  
~Well don't!~he practically shouted back, walking straight into the med lab and toward the inner office. He knocked once it was clear that she wasn't going to respond.  
  
Hank answered almost instantly, rubbing his rather large blue nose and removing the glasses or gogles he'd been wearing; he wasn't sure which it was.  
  
"I'm suppoused to come get something to help with this." He started to lift his arm then let it drop as a sharp pain seared through him. His back protested, causing him to lean heavily upon the door frame. "Mystique wasn't playing nicely."  
  
"Ah, Mystique. She always was a slippery one." Hank added his agreement then began searching a cabinet until he found a bottle of pills. He shook out two then handed them over.  
  
Angel made no further comment to Russ but pushed her food away and listened in on his and Hank's conversation. There had to be a further explanation for his pushing her away. Normally they could at least stay on civil terms but now he wanted nothing to do with her.   
  
His wall came up. It was red brick with strange, demon-like creatures guarding it. They pushed her back, forcing her away from the wall.   
  
She withdrew, completely, from his mind.  
  
Julius was watching her. "What's wrong with our great leader..?"  
  
"Shove it, Misery,"she scowled, taking one last bite of her sandwich before standing. He rose, too. "I'm going upstairs."  
  
"Me, too. We need to discuss Jean Grey."   
  
"No, we don't. Just work out the transportation and we'll meet later,"Angel said before vanishing from the room. She was halfway up the stairs when he caught her arm, rather hard.   
  
"What's your problem?"he demanded, tightening his hold when she would her jerked away. His shields were up, too. His wall was steel with barb wire circled inside. "Why are you running all of a sudden?"  
  
"I ain't runnin'. I need to think...leave me alone, Kanteon."  
  
"Prove nothing's wrong."  
  
She sighed. "How?"  
  
Julius shrugged, not knowing himself from his expression. She thought a moment then leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck. Instinctivly, his arms went around her waist and he almost picked her up, almost.  
  
"Happy now?"she asked, giving him the remains of a smile before running up the stairs and slamming her bedroom door between them. His footsteps came forward; she leaned against the door, praying he'd go by. He walked past her room then into another, but, she noted, it wasn't his room that he went into.  
  
Angel sat down against the door, placing up her wall which better resembled a fortress then a single wall like the others. She masked both emotions and thoughts; it was her own, personal trick. The thing with John and leaning about Jean's situation put a lot more on the line and brought things into perspective.  
  
"Maybe Vel was right. Maybe I'm not ready for this..."  
  
XAVIER INSTITUTE (REBUILT) GARAGE 4:45 p.m.  
  
Tara stared at the papers she held, flipping through them with a mumble here and there. She flipped through it then began working on her latest task of the moment. It was in-between their runs to find clones but since they'd found all three of theirs easy...she was free to work on it.  
  
It wouldn't make up for what Logan had done for her as a child. She didn't think she could ever make up for his getting her out of the circus or helping her find a somewhat decent home. Nothing could pay back the sacrifice he'd made to take care of her.  
  
"Maybe this can be a start,"she mumbled but returned to work. She played for a moment, twisting several things around then growing frustrated; she'd abandon it a few moments then return to work. She stared at it a moment then scowled. "Forget it! I hate the stupid thing!"  
  
She kicked the table then yelped in pain, leaning against the wall. Her eyes closed and her expression was pained. "Since when is there a table there...?" 


	24. Bar Hopping and Wrecking LAST FOUR

_JANUARY 25, 2004   
  
PARKING LOT OF MUNICIPAL INSTITUTE 10:30 a.m.  
_  
"Are you sure this place is open to...take people out? I mean, at this time?" Julius shaded his eyes slightly with his eyelids, lowering them to block out the majority of the bright light on it's pristine white walls. "It's not even noon yet."  
  
"How should I know? The information that Russ looked up for me said that as long as there's another place avaliable to take her and we're able to produce something of relativity for her release, from a realative....we can take her," Angel answered without looking away from trying to make the jacket's cuff fit over her heavily bandaged wrist. It was indeed broken and he felt little remorse after the nose incident.  
  
He sighed and took her arm, jerking the black sleeve over it with a hard attempt to ignore her brief jerk away. The area was bulky but it was hardly showing her broken wrist unless someone knew it was there or noticed the different thicknesses of her wrists. She stared at her wrist then broke the trance upon their reaching the front desk; she tapped her fingers against the counter for a moment then began to thumb through the sign-in sheets.  
  
Julius rolled his eyes but said nothing. He wasn't going to start a public spat in a mental institution when they were trying to get a real nut out.  
  
Don't project, Julius.  
  
His reply wasn't so nice or worth repeating.  
  
A nurse, Joyce, looked up from filing several papers. She pasted on a smile that was even more fake then Angel's. It was a pathetic attempt and fell even shorter on making them feel anymore at ease.   
  
"Can I help you?" she asked in a biting tone that held more frost then December snow. She sat in one of the chairs then took the sign-in sheets as if to search for something. A few moments later, she still hadn't found it but gave up. "This is not a petting zoo or a circus for your enjoyment."  
  
"We're not here to enjoy the entertainment. A friend of ours is here and we'd like to move her into her father's home," Julius interjected with a smile to the woman. It fell short like a bad bungee jumper. He dropped the pleasantries. "My name is Augustus Xavier and this is Elizabeth Lebeau...we're here to pick up Jean Grey." The names were almost as false as their users except they were middle names combined with other known X-men middle names; they shouldn't be recognizable after such a long abscence. He was right.  
  
Joyce scanned several computer files then shook her head. "There is no Jean Grey registered here, Mr. Xavier. You, obviously, have the wrong institution." She closed the program.  
  
He sighed, annoyed. "Jean is here. Maybe a photo would help..." Angel, obidently, slid the photo across the desk, allowing the nurse plenty of time to check out every detail. The red hair. The bright eyes. Her strange, much-too-tanned skin.   
  
Angel felt the shift in her emotion, including fear and smiled. There was something there; Jean was definetly a patient if Joyce's thoughts and emotions were any cue. The woman was terrified of Jean.  
  
"Is she a patient...?"  
  
"Yes," Joyce answered, as though, her voice had turned into the mechanical tone of a robot. She pushed the photo back and returned to the computer screen, scanning the names. then nodding. "Room 412. She's registered under the name Madelyne Pryor; do either of you have a clue who that could be?"  
  
Julius shook his head then waited a moment after returning to the photo to it's home in one of his pockets. When it became obvious that she wasn't going to continue, he motioned with his head down one hall then walked along, following the signs.  
  
Angel hesitated then joined him, walking at his side without a word.  
  
He broke it, abruptly, startling her. "What's the deal with Madelyne Pryor? Hank or someone else give you anything on her...?" he asked, following the signs to the 400 wing. He passed several doors with the barest of glances at their numbers; he walked to the end before coming to Room 412.  
  
"Nada," she answered but stopped at the door. Her teeth worried her bottom lip and she hesitated, wrapping her arms around herself and rubbing her arms. Julius gave her a raised eyebrow and she shook her head. "Jean's a wreck. She has a lot of confusion, self-hatred, and mainly..? She's dangerous to herself and us."  
  
"Will we need our powers?" His expression instantly sharpened into a look of coldness.  
  
She shook her head, raising one hand to stop him. "I'd rather not use them here. If we, it's as a last resort, okay..?" She waited for his agreement; it came as a nod.   
  
Angel breathed easier and pushed the door open to reveal their second to last mutant, staring into the dark room.   
  
It's only light came from a weakly lit lamp in the corner and the barely parted blinds. The bed was empty despite the many magazines strone around the desk table and floor. Jean, herself, was curled into a chair in the corner, clutching a blanket against her throat and shivering; incoherent mumbles escaped her lips. Her hair hung in stingy, less vibrant, red strands around her much too pale face and she was incredibly, almost to the point of being a hazard to her own health, skin. Her fingers, holding the blanket, quivering and she tightened them, pulling it further up.  
  
"Mrs. Summers?" Angel offered, speaking in the tone that would be better suited for a scared dog or child.   
  
Jean didn't lift her head or speak.  
  
She tried a louder voice. "Mrs. Summers."  
  
Her head snapped up. "It's too early for my medication, nurse," she said without even looking over toward the doorway. She stared out the window but sat a little straighter.  
  
Maybe I need to try this from a different angle... Angel hesitated a few more moments then walked over and pulled up the second chair to sit in front and to the left of Jean. She noticed Julius came into the doorway further but moved no closer then the bed where he began to thumb through a magazine.  
  
"Jean, I'm not here to give you medication. I'm here on behalf of a friend of yours...do you remember Rogue and Logan?" When there was no response, she reached her hand forward and touched Jean's. It was like ice and it took everything inside her not to jerk away, but she gave it a gentle squeeze. "Rogue and Logan want to see you again."  
  
"Rogue?" Her voice was a hoarse croak like a frog and her hand tightened into a vise-like grip over the smaller, darker hand in hers. "Where's Rogue? I need to speak with her about Gambit. Something's wrong with him."  
  
"Really? What's wrong with Gambit?" She continued the charade of understanding.  
  
"He's been very rude and avoidant lately. He hasn't been the same since we left him...he's cold and distant..."  
  
"Where did you leave Gambit?"  
  
Juilus cleared his throat; he was ignored by both.  
  
"The cold place."  
  
Angel frowned, confused and knowing this game would have to end. "Do you want to see Rogue again, Jean? Rogue and Gambit...both of them."   
  
The woman nodded, looking like an eager child. She stood and began to gather her belongings, shoving clothes into a bag then loading magazines and such into a pile on the bed. "Yes. Rogue. I need to see Rogue."  
  
We need to talk a minute, Angel. Hall. It wasn't asking her permission or even offereing but commanding. She went against her better judgement after giving Jean some excuse.  
  
"This is nuts. Jean Grey-Summers, obviously, isn't right in the head. She's on about events that probably never happened; how much of what she says do you believe? Honesty, Angel." Julius faced her, staring into her eyes. He wished she'd do something instead of just looking at him. "Did you stop to think that maybe there's a reason for her incarcination?"  
  
"Yeah, I did, but I signed up to bring her back and I can feel her emotions. I won't quit."  
  
"You're stubborn as hell and twice as arguementive."  
  
"I learned it the hard way. You helping me or not, Kanteon?"  
  
Julius hesitated then nodded. "Yeah. We're getting the psychotic out then moving on to the last two...Arclight and Riptide."  
  
_A BAR ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NEW YORK 1:00 p.m._  
  
"I feel pretty ding, dong, dang stupid."   
  
Corey stared at the remaining ice in his drink, wondering when she'd shut up repeating that phrase. It had lost appeal in the last two hours as had the company of only her. He'd had about eight drinks, non-alcoholic, but still drinks.  
  
"I feel pretty ding, dong, dang stupid."  
  
"Shut up, Kellie." His head was beginning to pound and darken from the smoke, too loud music, and her voices. He fought the urge to grab her or chunk something at her and instead got up and walked away, stopping in the back hallway before the bathrooms, cigarette machines, and chained shut exit doors; it should have been illegal or at unethical.   
  
He did a quick check then altered himself into their next one, Vertigo. He had to admit that projecting himself as a woman still freaked him out but he saw himself exactly as he was without a hitch. Vertigo wasn't difficult to form; her hair and eyes came the hardest. Silver and blue.  
  
A commotion out toward the back drew his attention and he altered his appearance back, checking once on the front of the bar. He noted that Kellie hadn't moved nor had anyone else; that was a little strange, considering the sound. Something was jerking on the outside half of the chained doors from the sounds and incoherent mumbles he could make out.   
  
Corey hesitated then went over. He messed with the chain a moment then remembered what the Remy clone had taught them about breaking locks. It wasn't hard if you knew what to do but he hadn't paid attention. He was paying for that now.  
  
Think, Corey. You have to remember what the instructions were; it wasn't rocket sciences 'cause Julius figured it out early on. He probably already knew. Think. The instructions. Breaking the lock.  
  
It took a few more moments of bangings and twisting from oustside interrupting his thoughts before he remembered and soon had the lock broken. In the last few seconds, before he opened the door, he projected the image of one of the security guys then threw the doors open, scowling.  
  
"Problem?" he demanded, glowering at the three there before recognizing one. Vertigo. She was present with the others but they were even stranger. One of her friends, a female, was a few inches taller with violet eyes and dyed purple hair with a scowl. The other, a male, with white hair and a strange, almost possessed-looking demeanor was with them, though, unhappy he looked.  
  
Vertigo shook her head, somewhat. "We must have gotten the wrong door," she said upon noticing the curled chain nearby and his irritated expression. She put on a charming smile and he almost found himself smiling. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir."  
  
"Next time, if there is one, try the front door or was the fact that it was chained shut beyond your comprehension?" Corey asked, glancing behind him once in the hopes of seeing Kellie. He didn't see her.  
  
"My friend's not very bright." The purple-haired and lighter-eyed female came forward, offering him a smile before walking straight past him with the others.   
  
Corey wasted the time it took to relatch the doors with the chain then walked, slowly, back to the bar area. He scanned for any sign of Kellie then approached her, keeping one eye focused on the three figures the entire time.  
  
"Kellie, I found Vertigo," he mumbled upon reaching his seat. He spoke, quietly, and close to her ear so they wouldn't be unheard. "She has company, though."  
  
Kellie looked around, pulling on the ends of one bright pink spike. She nodded after a moment then dug around inside one pocket for the sheets she'd kept. He almost asked how she fit the sheets in there with them that tight but decided to leave the topic for a later date. She flipped thetm open and pointed out several things.  
  
"Arclight and Riptide. They're Maurders, too...obviously, we have invasion of the super powered psychos. Misery and Shatter have both of those; call 'em?" She left the final decision to him.  
  
He shook his head. "I assume the two have other business or are already on their way to take care of things," he said, smirking at the thought of those two working together. They would no doubt fail in all areas with their insistent need to be in control.  
  
"Already on their way?" Kellie asked with a confused look.  
  
He shook his head. "She's a telepath. Do the math..."  
  
It wasn't even ten minutes later then his spoken words that two familiar figures entered the bar, arguing. Even as they watched, the smaller of the two shoved the taller one, earning a rather rough jerk on the arm that was held by the other. Their voices reached sooner.  
  
"Would you shut it about Jean?"  
  
"Psycho."  
  
"Shut. up."  
  
"Nuttier then a fruitcake."  
  
"Julius."  
  
"Cuckoo."  
  
"Juilus!" Angel's outraged shout drew several heads in their direction, including the remaining Maurders in the corner. She noticed the sudden silence and shut her mouth, remaining silent as if she'd just realized they had an audience.  
  
Julius' smirk was obvious from across the bar. He enjoyed irritating their quick-tempered, empath-telekenetic, former Angel.  
  
Corey hurried over and seperated the two, filling them in, briefly, on their mutants appearances together. It didn't earn much reaction since the two were still scowling and/or glaring at one another. They weren't going to accomplish much; that was his guess at least. They were joined by their fourth member, presently present.  
  
Kellie shook her head without looking away from them. "How do we get their attention?"  
  
"Why don't we try Demon's friendly-you're-not-real approach," Julius said with a blood carmelizing smile. It earned him a scowl and several new 'names' from her.  
  
"Quit calling her demon, Julius," Kellie commanded then turned away, surveying the room. Her eyes settled on them and stayed for a moment before she smiled. "Why don't we just let our friends here do the talking, Angel? I'm sure Julius can get at least Vertigo's attention, maybe Arclight's."  
  
"And Riptide?" Angel raised an eyebrow, but her newly trademarked smirk was coming into play across her face. She nodded after a moment then turned back. "Vertigo should be easy once you gain her trust."  
  
"I'm not doing it." Julius walked past her and to the bar, ordering something. Corey wasn't sure if it was alcoholic or not. He had a feeling that Juilus could fake his way into getting alcohol. "I have more respect for myself then that."  
  
"Julius, stop bein' a prick and go. Maybe you'll even get a good-night kiss." He scowled and Angel picked up a new tactic, leaning against the bar beside him and tapping her nails. They made strange clicking sounds like rough insect legs against glass. "I know you want to get back since you're expecting a letter from your father." His head shot up. "I think they'll be one waiting, but we can't go until these three are in our, for lack of a better word, possession. Please, Julius? It's Nanaki's last day..."  
  
Corey knew she'd been reading his mind when she pulled his father into it. The please was just another nice little touch to make him happy; their newest thing was about saying please. Neither wanted to say it to the other unless forced or they needed something, badly.  
  
"Why should I care about Nanaki or my father? I don't know her and he's the one that put me here..." He took a drink from his glass then nodded to the bartender, telling him that it would pass his current test.  
  
"Julius!" The appeal was made from three different people and he gave in, tossing back the rest of his drink. He stood, shoving away from the bar.  
  
"You owe me, Demon, Dust, and Image." He walked away at a slow pace with that same infuriating aura of power. His trenchcoat billowed out around him even more but it didn't even compare to the clomp of his boots across the polished wood floor.   
  
Corey noticed something was off with Angel 'cause she kept glancing toward the door then returning her attention to behind the bar. She did this several times with glances toward the exit doors that he'd unchained then rechained; her gaze was cautious but there was a note of desperation to it.  
  
"What's wrong, Angel?" he asked in a quiet voice that wouldn't carry beyond their group.  
  
She shook her head. "It's the emotion here. There's a lot of fear and even more anger," she answered without stopping her almost desperate looks around the bar. Her gaze kept settling on the same guy every time, a rather large guy leaning against the nearby 'jukebox'. "I can't even hear my own thoughts."  
  
"Maybe that's a good thing." The words slipped out before Kellie could cover them.  
  
Angel scowled then stalked away, beyond the chattering customers and smoky enviorment and out the front door, slamming it with her telekenesis hard enough to shatter the glass inside the door.   
  
"Nice."  
  
_ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER 2:30 p.m.  
_  
"It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts, there they are, there they are standing in a row. Big ones, small ones, some as big as Julius' head. Hey!" Angel waved her arms over her head while staring at the steadily darkening sky as she laid on top the van, making the song's hand motions. She hadn't moved in the over an hour and a half since she'd walked out of the bar.  
  
Juilus' voice floated out along with another. "It's quite the interesting thought, Ms. Vertigo," his voice carried but there was no drunkeness to it as the other.  
  
"It's even more interesting while horizontal."  
  
Wait a minute...Vertigo? That was Corey and Kellie's chick, not ours. I think they all went crazy while I was gone and now we're suffering from a loss of identity.  
  
Angel gave up and sat up then jumped down from the van's, hers and Julius' new toy, roof to land on the ground. Her attention immediately went to where Julius and Vertigo were doing their version of 'talking'. Unless talking involved that close of contact and their heads bent that close together, they were having too much fun.  
  
"Now do you see why I didn't let you deal with any of our other clones?" she asked in a bored tone with a pointed look toward Vertigo, whose eyes were turning into a darker color. She ignored it to fix her teammate with a look of disappointment. "I guess this means that you'll be along when you've 'thoroughly' explained things to her."  
  
"Angel, that's enough." Julius shook his head, slightly but the move was lost on her.  
  
It was within the next few moments that Angel felt the effects of Vertigo's powers. It wasn't a strong power, more weak, but it would serve a purpose when needed with very little control or no control of any sort.  
  
Her head began to hurt and the ground spun, turning upside down. Thoughts ran through her minds, hers, Julius', Vertigo's, strangers' thoughts. She tried to put up her wall but it began to crack and after a few moments hardly resembled it's fortress-like self. Her stomache turned over and she stumbled, falling to her knees, slightly.  
  
"That's enough, Vertigo. Leave her alone. She's a friend of mine..." Something like rumbling filled the air then several motorcycles uprooted themselves from the ground and hit the side of the bar, narrowly missing her.   
  
Angel didn't see it in anything beyond short bursts of color and clear vision. Her head was beginning to hurt worse while her stomache felt ready to empty it's contents, though, she hadn't felt well enough to eat something. She noticed after a moment that there was a sudden, empty silence except for Julius' and her own labored breathing; the disorientation and confusion began to fade.   
  
Thoughts stopped running together into a steady stream. Her eyes focused on the roughly packed ground and Julius' combat boots in front of her but she didn't move to get up, running one of her hands through her hair to avoid looking up at his I-told-you-so look.  
  
"You okay, Angel...?" Julius held out one hand to her and she took it, allowing him to help her up but pulling away almost instantly. She brushed at dirt and gravel on her clothes.   
  
"Fine...how'd you end up with Vertigo? Corey and Kellie were meant to find her."  
  
"Riptide and Arclight seemed more up their alley and Vertigo was the easiest to approach. She found me rather attractive," he said with a smug smirk.  
  
And I was going to thank him, she thought but pushed the thought away when several, drunken men stumbled out of the bar, looking frantic. Further shouting could be heard from inside the bar along with the sound of something spinning rather frantically. Glass was shattering in the windows and it was a good guess that parts of the bar's alcohol stash were now leaking; a chair flew out of a window, shattering one of the remaining windows.  
  
"You take care of your little girlfriend and I'll go help our friends." Angel walked past him while trying to ignore the shakiness of her legs and the fact that he didn't argue beyond indistinguishable mumbling.  
  
_INSIDE THE BAR 2:45 p.m._  
  
Kellie ducked, narrowly avoiding the flying jukebox. It flew over her head and the bar to slam into the rows upon rows of glass liquor bottles. They shattered and sprayed the bartenders, bar, and floor with it's colors and mixes.  
  
"Is there anything that chick can't pick up?" Corey asked with a brief glance away from where Riptide was having fun circling him and laughing, somewhat insanely. He struggled for a moment then created the image of a brick wall in front of Riptide. There was a squeak like a mouse then the boy pulled up short, tripping over his own feet and their spinning motion. The move sent him spinning off into a random direction but stopped when he promptly hit a large wall, knocking several frames certificates and pictures onto his head.  
  
Arclight only shook her head. "I'm having far too much fun being my own boss instead of someone else's little puppet to just let you kill me again, if you're right." She picked up three tables, stacking them together, then threw them forward. Two slammed into the already trashed alcohol bottles and another caught Kellie in the stomache, knocking her over and winding her.  
  
She gasped and tried to cough but managed only a shaky, wheezing breathe that hurt. She shoved the table away and to the floor beside her then continuing to struggle with her breathe.  
  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Juilus' order was immediately heeded and his 'teammates' looked over at him. The entire bar splintered in half down the center to slide drinks across and onto the floor. Patrons ran out again through several different exit doors but a few poor confused guys found the previously chained and still chained doors.  
  
His prescence wasn't warranted. One entire half of the bar that he'd cracked came up and flew at him, splintering upon hitting the doorway; shards of it flew back and embedded themselves in his seeable flesh.  
  
His expression turned even darker but he was stopped from doing anything by a hand pressing against Arclight's face. She stiffened and fought a moment then collapsed to the floor.  
  
"Well, sugah, aren't ya glad to see us or did ya have other plans to trash this place?" Rogue's expression was not pleased nor was Logan's beside her. She frowned, taking in their various positions. Kellie was sitting up on the floor and breathing normally, but she held one hand against her side, grimacing. Corey was still standing over the fallen Riptide who hadn't moved. Julius was scowling at their unconscience Arclight.   
  
"There should have been four of you here. Where'd you dump Angel's body?" Logan looked down at Arclight a moment then picked her up, making his way across the bar. He gave each of them a disappointed look then nodded toward outside. "Let's go."  
  
"We didn't kill Angel. She's keeping an eye on Vertigo...."  
  
"Rogue, pay the man for the damage to his bar then follow me. Image, Dust, take care of our unconscience kid over there," he said before walking outside. He stopped only long enough to speak to Julius. "Especially you."   
  
Now we're really going to get into trouble. Kellie frowned and followed him out, walking beside Corey who held the unconscience Riptide. This is going to come down to using our powers in a public place. It will probably involve a rather long lecture with us arguing with Logan. Great.  
  
Rogue's voice floated out from the bar at the same moment as Logan's came from outside after a loud thunk.  
  
"Fine, but don't you dare call the cops! I'm paying you for all the damges and to keep you shut up about those kids."  
  
"Kid, you're not supposed to hit her with a tire iron for waking up!"   
  
Angel's voice answered, "Julius said I could."  
  
"KANTEON!" 


	25. Not Everything's Black or White

_A/N: Thoughts spoken in the mind or through telepathy are in italics. More often then not that will be the only way since they took away my other use. If there's a single word in a sentence italicized then it's to be emphasized or pointed out. This chapter's ending will cause quite a bit of confusion but it's not meant to explain much; they're experiencing the last moments before their deaths but not the entire thing.  
_  
Xavier Institute Medlab (Rebuilt) 5:00 p.m.  
  
Russ watched the other members of their alliances and the X-Men's faces, real and cloned, throughout the process of discussing what would happen. He tried to avoid looking at Rogue for the majority of it because he could see the hidden pain in his eyes, much like his mother before her disappearance. He could see that she wanted to say something but refused to even when Hank asked if there were any questions.  
  
There was silence at first then Jubilee asked her question.  
  
"Will it hurt?"  
  
For the first time, Russ saw that she was truly a teenager, scared and unsure. He felt ill at the thought of the lives they were about to take; it wasn't their fault they'd been chosen for someone's cruel experiment.  
  
Hank shook his head, slowly. "If I've worked everything out then there won't be any pain except a sort of tingling feeling. Some of you, mainly ones with empathy or telekenesis, might re-live their deaths."  
  
Remy's head shoot up from his single playing card. Ace of Hearts. "Y'want to explain that, homme?" he asked, seeking out Rogue but not saying a word.  
  
"It means that because of the lock on your powers-empathy and telekenetic-you will experience things as though you were dying. You'll feel everything you felt then and see yourself go through it...I couldn't change that."  
  
_Are we any better then Icon? We're destroying mutant lives. They're not the real deal but until two days ago, they thought they were perfectly normal mutants. It couldn't be an easy adjustment yet they'd all come willingly except for the Maurders._   
  
_Russ, don't torture yourself. There's no solution that makes sense and helps everyone._  
  
_There should be. It's not fair that we can decide that they die.  
  
I know, but I don't think we can change it.  
  
How are you so calm, Angel? And don't give me those bullshit lines about 'i'm used to it' or 'can't miss what you've never known'. I want an honest answer._  
  
Angel's next reply was tinged with anger and an understandable sadness. _I don't know. Maybe it's because I was trained to be and I've dealt with it accordingly. You want to see what I'm really feeling?  
_  
_Yes_, he answered, taking the challenge he could hear in her voice.  
  
Russ noticed that Nanaki had jammed one of her elbow's into her ribs, driving her into silence and a blank expression. Her gaze wandered to his but she simply shook her head, at a loss.  
  
"How long will this take?" Juilus' question this time.  
  
Hank looked down at the keypad in front of him. "No more than a few minutes. It should be one of the quickest deaths in well written history."  
  
Landon's voice broke into their talking from where he sat on top one of the tables. He hadn't moved from his spot since he'd entered with his previous employer. His head had remained down and his hands in the pockets of his brown jackets while he himself said nothing.  
  
"Can we get this over with? Some of us have something like a life to get on with once our employers deceased...mine starts in another state," he said but there was something hooded in his words. He still didn't look up.  
  
Logan started forward but Rogue's grip stopped him in his tracks. He remained at her side, resting his hands on the table behind him; he flexed them, itching to get his claws out, no doubt.  
  
Mystique met Landon's eyes then nodded, conveying something through her eyes. He returned the nod with a smile just before Hank stepped away from the device after pressing a few buttons. He joined the other mutants inside their 'containment cell' to wait. Logan finished locking the cell then took his place beside Rogue again. She moved at the last minute and gripped his hand, tightly from the way Logan's hand turned almost completely white with her pressure.   
  
Six thoughts came into Jean Grey's head as she stared at her hands and the bloody nails there. They were a variation of teenagers and new adult mutants but all conveyed some type of meaning. It brought back the first truth and sign of sanity that she'd seen in herself in almost a year.  
  
_This isn't fair. Russ  
  
I don't care about any of these peple. I barely know them; they mean nothing to me. Julius  
  
The circus all over again. Tara  
  
I wish I could cry. Angel  
  
Let it be quick. Corey  
  
Maybe this is what would have happened if I hadn't gotten out in time. Kellie  
_  
She turned a gentle, even normal, smile toward them, offering one hand toward them. "I understand. Stop measuring things with fair and unfair, Russ. Allow yourself to cry, Angel. Stop hurting yourself, Julius. Don't dwell on bad memories, Tara, Kellie. Corey, no one can make it any less painful then it is," she said seconds before her eyes turned completely red and she sank to her knees, clutching her head.   
  
Russ couldn't tear his eyes away but knew something was happening. Her entire expression was pained and he could see the reddish glow emitting from her eyes; her scream shook the medlab and shattered the glass in the closed, metallic door.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Jean closed her eyes, fighting the pain that coursed through her body. Her nails dug into her palms, tearing the flesh there but she refused to cry for herself. The others were suffering more through her. She was being used to destroy them.  
  
Another jolt coursed through her and she saw a vision of water. It was only there an instant then was taken from her by the needle that had been stuck into her arm, delivering it into the mind of the mutant in the tank. There was a screaming like sound, muffled as though under water then silence.   
  
The body was removed.  
  
Another mutant was placed within the cell. Her mind recognized this one and fought harder against the machine. Storm.

_Storm!_

The image rushed forward of falling but she fought, struggling to hold it in even as it faded with the needle's work. Her tears flowed, freely this time, at the scream from one of her best friends. She wanted to scream but something had been tied across her mouth to keep it shut and she could muster the ability to remove it even with her telepathy.  
  
Her silent sobs turned into gun-wrenching sobs at the sight of her once best friend, lying on the floor, bloody and with many bones broken. Her tears continued to flows but none of the others effected her in the same manner until the next one. Scott Summers. Her husband.  
  
Jean didn't bother to fight this time, knowing it would be useless. She tried one trick by changing the path of her thoughts, trying to trick the machine into using a different memory instead of the one Scott sent. She sent another right before the moment she knew he would die.  
  
_I love you, Scott._  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Remy couldn't feel anything except the pain tearing at his insides. His thoughts ran through the last time he'd seen Rogue. He saw her abandon their line then her cradling the little girl in her arms, rushing to get to the little girl to safety. He jerked in pain at the pain he saw in her eyes when she turned back and saw the blame in his eyes; he hadn't been aware he'd shown it.  
  
He smiled, getting another image. A crazy, last thought type image that he'd had right before he lost conscience. Rogue was holding another little girl, a beautiful child, theirs. He knew it would never happen because he would die and she would live, live forever.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
The collar tightened around his neck, blocking any use of his powers but Remy Lebeau didn't fight it. He fixed his eyes on the last thing he'd remember before the pain. Rogue, running to protect the little girl and the pain in her eyes when they met his own blaming ones.   
  
One of the guys herding him and other mutants along jammed his gun into Remy's side. He fell to his knees, demon eyes blazing but unable to do anything. He staggered to his feet and took a breathe, struggling remain standing and walk with the others.   
  
One side of his face was swollen, including the eyes swollen shut. Blood was running from numerous wounds that were a combination of self-inflicted and guard-inflicted. His clothes were torn in most parts but the worst was his side. The skin had torn, exposing his ribs; it was the exact place that the guy with the gun kept slamming it into.  
  
He hadn't seen any of the others except Pyro, Shadowcat, and a few brief confrontations that appeared like other members. He wasn't sure how much of that was hallucinating. He didn't think he wanted to know what happened to any of the others but he'd figured out there were different ways to die.   
  
There was something like a scream from up front but he did nothing except walk further up in the line.   
  
Remy reached the head of the line and watched the mutant in front of him die. His hands were cuffed behind his back then a needle, like a drug needle, was pressed into the skin of his neck. After a moment, it was extracted and the man was forced to kneel with his head on a stump-like board. An executioner dropped the axe, slicing his head from his body.  
  
_At least mon femme Rogue won't see dis.   
_  
Remy didn't flinch or look away when the needle was pressed into his neck. He allowed it all with the steady following of his red on black eyes; his eyes never wavered from the 'executioner's' face. He watched the man's cold, no soul, black eyes until the axe swung down.  
  
His last thought was. _Remy's sorry. _

__  
END FLASHBACK  
  
_GUYS ROOM #1 7:00 p.m._  
  
"Do you think they've buried them by now?" Corey asked, staring at the ceiling above him. His expression was noticeablly dark but no one said a word about it. He fixed his eyes on a crack and followed it across the ceiling.  
  
"It's safe to say," Angel replied, leaning back away from the window where she sat. She dropped one of her feet down, hitting Julius in the stomache in the process. "Sorry, Kanteon."  
  
"Hmm." He made no other comment.  
  
Julius hadn't said much of anything since Jean had spoken to them. Her words had had an immediate effect when he'd turned and walked out. Angel had tried to go after him, but Nanaki had kept her in the lab with a shake of her head; she'd dropped the subject but showed up in their room, attempting to make small talk.  
  
Russ shifted to sit on the edge of his bed, closing his eyes at the sudden dizziness.   
  
"Problem...?"  
  
"Head rush. I think dinner's about ready; I'm going downstairs. Either of you two coming...?" He shifted his attention to the two sitting at the window, Angel on the sill and Julius below it with his back to the wall, then walked out without hearing a response. He was almost sure they'd sit upstairs in total silence until Julius talked or she gave in and left.  
  
He met Russ and Kellie at the bottom of the stairs and walked with them to the dining hall. It was strained silence the entire way and even more strained during dinner. He noted that several of their usual diners were absent, including Angel, Julius, Tara, Logan, and Rogue. It was midway through the meal before Logan and Rogue put in an appearance along with the guy that had come along with the brotherhood, Landon.  
  
Logan was the first to comment on their lack of people. "Where's Kanteon, Angel, and Tara?" he asked after one quick look around. He settled on the empty chair, noting that two were side by side.  
  
"Julius and Angel are talking." Corey felt obligated to mention that they were upstairs in the room he now shared with Juilus. He also mentioned his suspicion that they wouldn't be down for the night or if they did it would be later. "I'm not sure Tara is."  
  
Kellie interjected, "She's in the garage, Logan. I think she wanted you to meet her there. She said you two needed to talk."  
  
Russ made no comment but continued to eat, barely glancing up at their 'chaperones' and the boy with them.  
  
Rogue cleared her throat, earning all of their attention. She didn't look like someone grieving until one noticed the fresh dirt on the knees of her jeans and that there was a slightly blood-shot look to her eyes. Three pairs of eyes fixed upon the two of them and Landon.  
  
"Temporarily, Landon'll be staying with us," she stated, motioning him slightly forward. She waited until he was standing closer to the table to finish her thought. "Ah expect y'all to treat him accordin'ly, alright? Ah don't expect a problem."  
  
"Yes, Rogue."  
  
Logan motioned to a seat and the boy hesitated before taking a seat and looking around at them. His expression was far too reminiscent of Julius and his entire persona gave out an anti-turst vibe.   
  
Within moments, he was intent upon eating with the rest of them along with Rogue and Logan. Logan hung around long enough to shovel some food into his mouth then split, mumbling some excuse about 'going to check on the kid', meaning Tara since she was the only singular one missing.  
  
Corey noticed that Rogue hadn't eaten much and started to ask if she was alright. Kellie's foot connecting with his leg. He looked at her, scowling, but she just shook her head, tapping the table as though in morse code. He didn't get the message.  
  
"I think we're having a communiation problem."  
  
"We'll talk about it later..." Her tight-lipped, giving nothing away expression said everything he needed to know. A glance at Russ showed that he'd been included in that 'we' group. "Tara, too."  
  
"Not Angel and Juilus...?" Russ asked with little suprise from the tone of his voice. It wasn't exactly pleasant or offering any insight to his thoughts or emotions.  
  
"...I think they'll be a little busy later..." There was a smirk in place on Kellie's face, but it vanished when she noticed that Landon was studying her with vague interest. It was like seeing an interesting bug under a microscope but not knowing what to do with it. He unnerved her, forcing her to stare down at her food.  
  
_XAVIER'S INSTITUE GARAGE 7:10 p.m._  
  
"Hey, kid, what do you do in here all the time?" Logan asked once he'd managed to get into the garage. He walked back from the door then noticed that the kid had installed several different forms of locks, including a sliding bolt upon the door. He almost asked about it but chose not to. "Prepare for global war?"  
  
Tara shrugged, leaning against the table behind her that was covered by a giant white clothe. It looked like an old bed sheet from the Medlab; looks were decieving, though so he didn't bother to ask. Several tools were scattered around on the floor and in the rusted tool box that was underneathe the table, barely able to be seen.   
  
"I work on stuff."  
  
"What kind of stuff?"  
  
She shrugged again. "I've been working on something for the last while and it's finally ready...it's a thank you present, Logan," she said, judging by his expression how he'd react.   
  
Logan was right on the mark when he straightened and shook his head. "You didn't have to do that, kid. No one deserved to go through that, darlin'."   
  
Tara shook her head, showing him not to say anything else.   
  
"No one deserved it, but you were the first to take the time out of your life to help the abused mutant kid. You did a hell of a lot better than anyone else ever bothered to even attempt. I'd probably still be there today, if I'd lived that long, if it weren't for you. Will you please just take the gift, Logan?" She tensed, waiting for his blatant denial of her wish.  
  
He just stood there, waiting.   
  
"Does that mean you'll accept it...?" she asked, still ready to his denial.  
  
"I'll humor you. What is it, Tara?" he asked, using her real name rather than kid, darlin', or Tadpole. He'd always called her those but rarely by _her given name.  
_  
Tara removed the cover from the table and showed him the modle she'd made from all her work. She'd taken care to paint it black with hardware paint from the money she'd recieved from Angel who pawned the whole thing off as 'a late christmas present since they hadn't got to exchange gifts'.   
  
The model almost matched the real thing except for it's size and the fact that it was a more natural, glossy black. It had been crafted so that it stood up with it's wheels flat and inside was a small motor-like engine that made it run for real. She'd started to work on constructing a track for it but had decided to give him that part.  
  
Logan didn't say anything until he'd looked over the entire model. "Why, kid?"  
  
She'd expected the question and answered with an honest answer.  
  
"You care, Logan. You're the first and I think the last one will probably be Angel...if it weren't for you I'd have probably been dead by now. Thanks, Logan."  
  
His expression couldn't be called a complete smile but he was no longer scowling. He nodded, turning to face her.  
  
"I'll **accept** it. You did a good job; how'd you get the detail so perfect...?" he asked, inspecting it then picking it up.   
  
Tara smiled, inwardly, knowing he liked it. It was a small victory and one that none of the others would know, not even Angel, but it would let her at least begin to pay her debt back to Logan for what he'd done.  
  
She spent two and a half hours explaining how the model worked and talking to him about it. He didn't mention what had happened years before with the circus or them but instead concentrated on talking to her. They discussed the model but then moved on to the other members in the growing alliance and how things had been for her since he'd abandoned her again. It was slightly strained but at least now they understood that he'd done it more to protect her then abandon her again.  
  
Logan didn't say it, but he was proud of how the kid had turned out. **Damn proud** at that. She was better off then most kids would be after suffering what she had.


	26. Final Decisions

Anything but Ordinary3: Why? Because I love the thought of you feeling bad for the person you hate....it could be Storm. Think about that logic and then comment again.  
  
Takamo: Not the ending but close...it's getting close.

* * *

_JANUARY 26, 2005   
  
GUY'S ROOM #1 1:30 a.m.  
_  
Angel laid on her back, staring at the ceiling and trying not to listen to the person beside her that had almost stopped breathing, trying to convince her to leave. She knew he was delibertly trying not to breathe so she'd think he was asleep; he must have forgotten that even breathing meant sleep not no breathing.  
  
"What's got you so silent, Julius?" she questioned without looking away from the ceiling. She raised one hand over her head and traced cracks along the ceiling, waiting for him to respond.  
  
"It's none of your concern. Leave it alone." His voice held little emotion beyond extreme depression and something like anger.  
  
She sighed. "You've been sullen and silent since the medlab. What did Jean mean by 'stop hurting yourself, Juilus'?" she asked, dropping her arm onto the bed. She noticed that he stiffened when her hand touched his arm; she pulled back without a word, knowing it would be useless.  
  
"I have a right to be sullen. Why can't you just leave me alone, Angel? I don't want to talk..."  
  
_Fine. He can sit here and sulk all alone. I have to go see Nanaki off at some point. It's not like she ever sleeps except a few hours. I'll have time to talk to her then catch a little bit of sleep since Logan has decided we're all meant to report to the Danger Room at five o'clock, again; he wasn't even mad at them this time, just commanding.  
_  
She sat up, slipping her shoes back on since Julius wouldn't let her wear them on his bed. It was a stupid rule but one she followed, none the less.   
  
"Wait, Angel. Will you just stay here?" Julius asked, catching hold of one of her hands. He held it between both of his and waited for her answer.   
  
Angel chewed on her bottom lip, hesitating to do it. She had promised to see Nanaki off and she'd been warned about Julius. She knew Velicion didn't like the relationship, but she felt a kinship to him; they'd both been decieved for most of their lives. Maybe it was just her own stupidity making up the reasons.  
  
"I have to see Nanaki off..."  
  
"Do it later."  
  
She nodded and went back over, sensing the turmoil and also anger that he felt. She laid down beside him when he refused to release her hand by tightening his grip; she tried not to pull away at the tight grip.  
  
"What happened to your parents, Angel?" he asked after a moment of laying in silence.  
  
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. When I was about a year or more, they gave me to my aunt one day and ran off, just out of the blue. I can't remember them except my subconscience remembers that my mom used to hum some song whenever I cried; my father's nothing but a memory, even though I do carry his death announcement with me," she explained, reaching behind her back and sliding her hand into the pocket where the crinkled, yellowing clipping was stored. "It's all I have except what Aunt Kris says."  
  
"How do you have your father's death announcement if he abandoned you as a kid?"  
  
"It came in the mail on my thirteenth birthday. There was no return address or anything...just a yellow manila envelope with my name and the house's address." She was silent a moment. "What happened to your parents?"  
  
Julius was silent a long time. He stared at the ceiling then began to speak. "My dad still lives in Canada with my little demon spawn of a sister. Mom died when I was a kid...I don't think Dad ever really got over it especially with me and the brat around," he said, stopping after that and just staring at the ceiling.  
  
"You don't like your sister...?"  
  
"It's more or less that she has no mutant gene. I can cause mass destruction with a thought and she just has to bat her eyelashes and whine to get what she wants....it's pathetic, Angel."  
  
"I never had a sibling, brother or sister."  
  
"Or maybe you just don't know it..."  
  
"I'd know."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I'd feel it."

* * *

_KITCHEN TABLE (BREAKFAST) 5:30 a.m.  
_  
Russ stared through bleary eyes at the bowl of cereal in front of him. He spooned his mouth full of the soggy mass then worked on chewing, listening to the low hum of voices from the next room. It was obviously a good-bye of some sort from the one phrase that was repeated several times "behave".  
  
"Stop listenin' so hard or ya ears are gonna fall off," Rogue said from where she leaned against the counter with a mug of coffee. She was getting quite addictive if the three cups she'd already drank were an invitation along with her fourth one. "Angel's just saying good-bye to Nanaki. Leave it at that."  
  
"Where's Landon?" Corey asked from where he sat, staring at his mug of coffee. He'd poured it himself a few moments ago and had added sugar and milk but hadn't taken more then a few drinks.  
  
"He's already in the Danger Room. Unlike you lot, he got up without a wake-up call and went straight there, claiming he wanted a bit of extra practice." She took another sip from the mug then a few more, testing it's warmth on her tongue.  
  
_This Landon guy is really starting to get on what nerves I have left. He seems too perfect with his getting up early and going for extra practice. _

___  
Or maybe he's just afraid of being hurt.  
  
I thought you were going to stop listening to my thoughts?  
  
You're projecting.  
_  
Angel came into the kitchen, wiping a few drops of water from the lower part of her eyelid. She'd been crying; that was a new development. She was also without Nanaki's company or even the usual smiling smirk that was present with the other girl around.  
  
Tara looked up from her glass of orange juice. "Nanaki gone?"  
  
"Yeah. She had to get back..." Angel shrugged and sat down, staring at the table and it's checked place mats. Her expression was again blank.  
  
Corey tipped back his mug and drank the remaining coffee then pushed away from the table. "It's almost time for training, guys. Let's go."  
  
"Yes, master." Russ rolled his eyes and ate the rest of his cereal then dumped it in the sink. He walked past the others and into the hall. He walked upstairs without any distraction or detour; he pulled on training clothes -jeans and an older t-shirt- then wound through the halls, entering the Danger Room at the same moment as Kellie and Tara.   
  
Tara's complete attention was upon watching Landon as he leaned against the wall, eyes closed and breathing raggedly. Kellie was just watching up at the control room window where Logan and Rogue's reflections could be seen, shadowed by the dark room.  
  
"Do you all train together?" Landon asked, drawing his attention away from their leaders.  
  
Russ nodded. "Usually. We spar, in pairs of two...we've played duals before, but they're more of a game."  
  
There was silence for a few moments before the others filed in dressed and rather tired looking, especially Juilus. He didn't appear to have slept much but then again he'd had Angel spending the night with him. Corey had showed up in his room, announcing that their room was locked and Angel was obviously still in there since Tara's room was held only by her.   
  
He didn't like the relationship and had heard similar comments from the others, including Rogue. He was worried that it was a 'just for kicks' relationships until Juilus bailed out or pulled some stunt that got them all killed.  
  
"If you're through catching flies, Russ, we'd like to train."   
  
He blinked and looked at Logan. "Sure, whatever."  
  
Logan shook his head then turned back. "Tara, you're with Landon today. I expect you both to fight fair and don't use your powers, excessively. That goes especially for you, kid," he said, glowering at Landon to get his point across. Landon just shrugged. "Kellie and Angel are together. Corey and Russ are together. Juilus, you get to spar with me today."  
  
"Oh, joy. Oh, rapture." Julius turned and walked out, pushing past them all out the door.

* * *

_DANGER ROOM/TRAINING ROOM 6:25 a.m._  
  
"Your name's Tara, isn't it?"  
  
Tara nodded, trying not to be distracted by his obvious need to talk through the entire thing. She concentrated on actually fighting and wrapped her tongue around his leg, jerking hard enough to knock him off balance.   
  
"You have one of those damn codename things?" Landon got back on his feet fairly easy and grasped one of her arms, trying to switch their positions. It didn't do any good since she managed to turn it and get out of his grip. "Like Wolverine, Rogue, Mystique, and Toad. You know what a codename is?"  
  
"Tadpole," she answered before driving her foot into his stomache. She almost smiled when he fell back, but it vanished as in the next instant he'd reversed their roles and now held her against one wall; something rough and sharp touched her neck.  
  
"I really don't like people that insist upon being mean."  
  
Tara froze, staring down at the white claws pressed against her neck. They were identical to Logan's except they were white and made of pure bone; the fact that they were against her skin was another shock. She knew Logan would never do that to her, no matter what.  
  
"That's enough. Let her go, Landon. Now," Logan commanded from the giant glassed-in room. His expression wasn't pleased but it had the desired effect when Landon's hand pulled away and the bones slid in. Something dark was still coming from his fingers and spreading down his hand; some of it had dripped off onto her neck or the upper part of her chest.  
  
"Are you bleeding..?"  
  
"I just shoved bone rods from my hands, Tadpole. What did you expect? No blood?" He held up his hand to show the streams of red.  
  
Blood. It's actually blood on me. The little voice inside her head whispered back. But it's not yours this time. It's someone else's.   
  
She felt sick and shoved past Landon, bolting out of the room and down the hall into the bathroom. She bent over the toliet and began to throw up but after a moment, she stopped and gagged for a few moments then sat back on her heels. One hand rested against her stomache and the rest of her skin was incredibly pale even with her green complexion.  
  
After a few moments, she was joined by a second person who stood beside her then offered a hand, helping her up.  
  
"Hey, you okay?"   
  
"Fine. The sight of blood brought back some memories..."  
  
"Bad ones?"  
  
"Not the good ones."  
  
"Landon got a good chewing out from Logan and Russ smacked him for you. He said it was immature, that Landon should grow up, and that...I don't remember the third point."  
  
"You're weird. I wouldn't want you to be late for sparring...go on. I'll be fine."  
  
"Kay. Have fun..."

* * *

_DINING ROOM 7:30 p.m._  
  
Rogue looked down the table at the alliance of teenagers and young adults. Most of them were intent upon their food or talking while their newest member-Landon Keller-was missing. He hadn't showed up to their meal, but had been down earlier to get something to eat.  
  
"How come we're not allowed to have alcohol here?" Julius asked, tipping up his glass of coke and taking a drink. He made a face then ate some of his food.  
  
Logan just shook his head. "Think about your behavior and also the amount of damage you kids caused to that bar, without intoxication. Ask me again after thinking about it."   
  
The others laughed at Julius' expression.  
  
Corey interrupted the silence once they had begun eating again. "How long will this alliance thing last?"   
  
The others fell silent and their eyes went first to around them then to either Rogue or Logan. Angel was the only one that didn't make eye contact; a sly, half smile was starting but she stared down at her food, shoveling more into her mouth.  
  
_Ya're not supposed to listen to mah thoughts, sugah.  
  
I'm sorry, Rogue. I needed closure.  
  
It's okay. Ah guess we're gonna have ta tell the others.  
  
Go ahead.  
_  
Rogue stood, keeping her most emotionless expression present. She looked around and made a point to meet each of their eyes by staring at their heads until they turned in her direction. She didn't say anything for a long time then looked at Logan.  
  
"How long do you guys want it to last?" Logan's question.  
  
"As long as y'all wan' it, Logan and ah'll hang around," she said then took her seat to the joy of the others and a groan from Julius.  
  
The others looked down the table at him.  
  
Kellie was the one to question his actions. "Problem, Julius?"  
  
"Yeah. My problem is that you're all willing to just hang up your lives and start this whole thing. The only one in this entire house with any sense is Landon because he isn't here."  
  
"It's not mandatory that you stay, Kanteon. If you want to go back to Canada and pick-up your life before this, we'll **pay the ticket** and wish you off," Logan said, picking up his beer bottle and taking a drink. He sat it down after a moment to the stunned silence of the others. "No one will force you to stay here."  
  
"Even if you do leave, you have a place here."  
  
Julius nodded and stood. "I don't know yet. I'll tell you later..."  
  
_Don't worry, Angel. I think he'll make the right decision._  
  
Rogue was met with a wall that was more of a fortress. It was huge and scanned the area with guards that held something like toys but deadlier looking; the gates were shut with no way of opening them or moving them from the outside.  
  
"Anyone else have an objection to staying...?" Logan's eyes moved around the table in search of someone else that wanted to leave. He wouldn't stop them nor would she.  
  
Corey shook his head.  
  
"I'm here for good even if I will vanish from time to time. _Family business_." Kellie returned to eating her food.  
  
"Where else would I go?" Tara asked, smiling toward Logan before dropping her eyes.  
  
Russ sat there in silence a moment then shrugged. "I need to clear a few things up, but otherwise? I'm here to stay."  
  
Angel laughed, quietly. "Y'all are **stuck** with me."  
  
"Then it's just Kanteon..."  
  
The rest of dinner passed in bouts silence and loud talking then the dining room was abandoned. It's calm was interrupted for the next couple of hours with the sound of voices, people taking showers, and people running up and down halls or stairs, probably both. Sometime around ten o'clock the mansion fell silent and it's chaperones went out to speak with long gone friends...

* * *

_JANUARY 27, 2005   
  
HALLWAY BETWEEN THE BEDROOMS 2:30 a.m._  
  
Julius Kanteon walked through the halls, flinging doors open and knocking vases or lamps over and onto the floor in his haste. He used his power to make enough noise to have everyone running, worried that something bad had happened.  
  
"Kanteon, what the **hell** are you doing?" Logan demanded upon his own entrance, scowling and with his blades unsheathed.  
  
He shrugged, smirking at the assembled, half asleep people. "I made a decision," he offered but didn't bother to elaborate.  
  
Angel stared at him a moment. He remained silent, waiting for someone to ask, knowing that one of them was bound to ask.   
  
"Well? You stayin' or goin', Kanteon?" she finally demanded, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him in a way that would make anyone else give a response.  
  
Julius smirked. "I have a few things to fix at home then you **losers** are stuck with me..."  
  
"Welcome to the team, Julius," Russ said then held out one hand. It was accepted and shaken then released.   
  
Rogue smiled then went back into her bedroom along with the others, closing her bedroom door between the hall and her room.  
  
Logan stared at him, almost disbelieving. "You woke us all up at half past two to tell us _you're staying_...?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"I wish you would have said no because then I could have killed you."  
  
"Sorry, Wolverine. Maybe next time."  
  
"Go to bed before I change my mind, Kanteon."  
  
"Of course, Wolverine. Aren't you Canadian...?"  
  
"**Go. To. Bed. Kanteon. Now."**  
  
"Of course....plane ticket within the next few days. I need to tie up some loose ends then I can come back and make everyone's lives **miserable**..."  
  
Logan stood there a minute then walked off, shaking his head. "You're hopeless, Kanteon."

* * *

_A/N: And that's the end of Alliance:Anti-Trust. You now know what happened to them all and there's an opening so there could be more added later or another story. Who knows? Leave a review or let me know that you liked it, hated it, or just want me to go away. If you're looking for more reading check out Bayville, Intergrated (most of the same cast along) or my other series with Tara and Angel.   
  
I also highly recommend the entire Retribution X series by Anything but Ordianry3 and Takamo's story, An Unforgiveable Past. The second tells the slow moving story of Nanaki, Angel's 'nanny'/friend while the other is a funny little series about....well, you just have to read it. I'm not leaving this story form and **vanishing** or just going to work on something else. Later, y'all._


End file.
